Jackie Wilson debut - TIMH | Eleven Warriors

Jackie Wilson first hit the chart as a solo artist today in 1957. Jackie started singing in various R&B groups in the 1950s after growing up in Detroit. Known then as Sonny Wilson, and soon to be known worldwide as Mr. Excitement, he earned the stage name Jackie while singing with the Dominoes.

After leaving the Dominoes, Jackie recorded the Barry Gordy-penned song “Reet Petite”. Barry Gordy would go on to found Motown Records and “Reet Petite” would start Jackie Wilson down the road to a ridiculously successful and influential career. Wilson recorded over twenty Top 40 hits, earned two Grammys and released an average of two albums per year from 1959 to 1974.

To put into perspective just how big a star Jackie Wilson was, consider that The Beatles opened for him during a concert in England in 1963. The Beatles were in their home country and already had hit songs of their own and they warmed up the crowd for Jackie. Not that you’d necessarily want to follow Mr. Excitement, either. This was a guy whose on-stage performances inspired literal rock royalty. One Godfather, two Kings and a Prince - James Brown, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Prince – all took a little something from Jackie Wilson. He truly was the complete package of showman and singer and he’s got a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame plaque to prove it.

Wilson died in 1984 after a long illness brought on from an incident in 1975. He was performing “Lonely Teardrops” on the Dick Clark show when he collapsed from a heart attack. The heart attack led to a coma and Jackie Wilson would remain hospitalized until his death. Multiple artists have paid tribute to Wilson, before and after his death. Van Morrison released the song “Jackie Wilson Said” in 1972 while the Commodores paid respect with “Nightshift” in 1985. Michael Jackson dedicated his Album of the Year award for “Thriller” to Wilson during the 1984 Grammy Awards ceremony.

Here’s the song that started it all - “Reet Petite” 1957: