R.I.P. Wilson Pickett

3/18/41 - 1/19/06

Allmusic.com's bio of Wilson Pickett begins "Of the major 60's soul stars, Wilson Pickett was one of the roughest and sweatiest." Which is pretty accurate, I suppose, but also kinda gross. I wouldn't ordinarily consider 'sweatiness' any kind of defining musical attribute, but there is a whole class of 60s soulsters for whom it fits just right. Wilson Pickett, with his frenzied, energetic, raw R&B grooves is certainly one of them. It is a happy and apt coincidence that he shared a birthday with Rudolph Diesel, the undoubtedly sweaty German scientist who invented the combustion engine.

Prolonged eulogizing on my part would be a little silly and redundant, when I can just link you to one in the New York Times. I don't really have much biographical information to add to that. It's not like I ever went furniture shopping with the guy (although I'm sure that would have been awesome and soulful). I admit that I was unaware of the ODB-like life he led in the last two decades of his life, until I read this obit in the Miami Herald:

In '91, he was arrested for allegedly yelling death threats while driving a car over the mayor's front lawn in Englewood, N.J., and less than a year later was charged with assaulting his girlfriend. In 1993, he was convicted of drunk driving and sentenced to a year in jail and five years' probation after hitting an 86-year-old man with his car. In 1987, he was given two years' probation and fined $1,000 for carrying a loaded shotgun in his car.

So that's something. Pretty funny stuff. But if you don't know him already, please listen:

Wilson Pickett - In the Midnight Hour

Wilson Pickett - Land of 1000 Dances

Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally

Wilson Pickett - I'm in Love

Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude

Wilson Pickett - Everybody Needs Somebody to Love