Tuesday, June 1, 2010

so much depends

upon

a  jacket’s

unbuttoning

—William Carlos Williams (after seeing Jackie Wilson)

Jackie Wilson, “No Pity (In The Naked City),” live (TV broadcast), 1965

Want more? Here. Here. Here.

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lagniappe

At the 1984 Grammy Awards, Michael Jackson dedicated his Album of the Year award (for Thriller) to Jackie Wilson, telling the audience:

In the entertainment business, there are leaders and there are followers. And I just want to say that I think Jackie Wilson was a wonderful entertainer . . . I love you and thank you so much.

*****

Michael Jackson studied Jackie Wilson, mimicked him, emulated him, subjected himself to his discipline. He covered ‘Lonely Teardrops’ when he was a teenager, and to some extent sang it the rest of his life.—Tom Junod