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Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5434
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 03:25 pm: | 
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Despite the fact that this book is by a white guy (Tony Douglas, Australian) and the annoying tiny type I recommend this book, one of the few about one of the most dynamic performers in history.
Be ready for a sordid story--Wilson was a member of one of the toughest street gangs in black Detroit, was a substance abuser, serial adulterer, bigamist, violent, irresponsible, owned by the Mob--Tupac Shakur had nothing on him.
When folks get on their high horses talking about today's rappers and djs they ought to remember this guy, he started it all--the only thing I will give him is that he at least tried to hide it from his public--
Not so successfully. The Black Press here used to roast him mercilessly, along with Ray Charles--when I read about the riot he started here I can understand why
As you read you will discover no great sayings, no fine sentiments, no philosophy, no great acts of charity, no political positions, no nothing--
Just some fine vocal recordings and memories of mesmerizing performances--greatness wasted on such a nobody
(ABM, you will be gratified that as an adult Wilson had "vast collections" of comic books!)
I'll let one of his OOW dauhters speak for him
"I do not have fond memories of him." she said--he was an absentee father to his lawful children--"I don't dispute that he is undoubtedly one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived, yet I believe that is the sum total of the man."
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10224
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 03:45 pm: |
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After Jackie Wilson collapsed on stage from a brain aneurysum, he went into a coma that lasted for years and up until the time of his death, his medical bills were paid by Dick Clark, of American Bandstand fame, currently a stroke victim himself. Both Prince and Michael Jackson cite Jackie as one of their early influences. (Don't mess with the Pop culture vulture.) |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5436
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 03:56 pm: |
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Elvis Presley kicked in some cash, too. It is true that he was singing "Lonely Teardrops" when he had the attack--supposedly singing the line "My heart is crying, Crying."
Evidence has come forth that he showed no symptoms of having a heart attack or brain aneurysm--they note that ten days after the performance Jackie was scheduled to offer testimony in front of a grand jury about his manager, a known Mafia soldier.
And so it goes. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10226
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 04:04 pm: |
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Jeeze, why didn't the mob just take Jackie for a ride. |
Libralind2
Veteran Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 931
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 06:40 pm: |
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I got pregnant in a hotel room that was next to Jackie Wilson's in Feb 1967. He was singing in the shower...true story
LiLi |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10228
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 09:13 pm: |
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LOL, Li-Li. What did you name the baby??? |
Schakspir
Veteran Poster
Username: Schakspir
Post Number: 1177
Registered: 12-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 10:33 pm: |
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Jackie Wilson didn't start that stuff, ChrisHayden. Ethel Waters ran a street gang in Chester, Pennsylvania before getting into the music business in the early 1910s. Louis Armstrong's best friends(before moving to Chicago)were pimps, whores, gamblers, pool-sharks, as well as musicians. He dressed like a gambler, wore box-back coats and Stetsons and was known as a very rough customer before he joined King Oliver in 1922. King Oliver, Ella Fitzgerald, Jelly Roll Morton, Bessie Smith, Barry White, to name but a small handful of black entertainers, had either marginal or full-fledged involvement with the underworld. Even the white musicians: Artie Shaw wanted to be a gangster, and Mezz Mezzrow spent a great deal of his "career" as a musician selling pot in Harlem. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10236
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 08, 2007 - 10:42 pm: |
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Very interesting, and very true. Frank Sinatra supposedly had mob connections, too, and like rubbin elbows with the mafioso. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5437
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 01:16 pm: |
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Jeeze, why didn't the mob just take Jackie for a ride
(Some have posited that they didn't want to kill him, they just wanted to scare him back into line.
They had done it before. The famous story where the black entertainer is trying to get out of his contract and the Mob guys hang him out of the window and make him sign?
According to the book that was Jackie.
Other people who contributed to the book said that more than once he went on stage bloody after some enforcers stomped his ass
He was, after all, still making them a lot of money.
Jackie Wilson didn't start that stuff, ChrisHayden
(I know that and I know about all the others. To hear old heads tell it, it all started with the rappers) |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5438
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 01:18 pm: |
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I got pregnant in a hotel room that was next to Jackie Wilson's in Feb 1967. He was singing in the shower...true story
LiLi
(According to the book that was how he warmed up for concerts. He never rehearsed. He would sit in the shower or in a hot tub, singing and doing scales and rubbing his toungue with a butter knife) |
Troy
Veteran Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 859
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 02:18 pm: |
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Schakspir, man Ethel Waters, did start this either.
Mozart ran a crew back in 18th century that extorted money from local tradesmen. Where do you think that got the word "gang" from? Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
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Libralind2
Veteran Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 933
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 09, 2007 - 04:21 pm: |
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roflllll Chris. The "baby" is going to be 40 in Nov and her name is Tamara LOL
LiLi |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10240
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 12:09 am: |
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40 years old! Damn Li-Li! You must've been a child bride - or jail bait. LOL. Was your daughter named after Tamara Dobson the black actress who starred in the Blaxpoitation films of the 60s? |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10241
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 12:15 am: |
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I think the character Fred Flintston was based on was a member of a gang, too. They were known as the Stone Age Crips and they all packed a lot of fire power... |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5446
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 12:47 pm: |
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More Jackie stuff--
He was a mama's boy. He would call his mother up and speak to her in a little boy voice.
Otherwise credible witnesses swear he impregnated at least a dozen girls at his high school before he dropped out at 16
His eating habits were so disgusting he never ate in public--when at a restaurant he would order and take it home
When he was performing if a fight broke out he was prone to leap off stage and jump in the middle of it--whereas most performers hated being manhandled by crowds he would invite it, often emerging from a crowd with nothing on but his pants.
He liked to carry two pistols in shoulder holsters and was arrested on a plane when he removed his coat and they were discovered
He recorded mostly soul and rock n roll but sang all kinds of music--he even did an album of Al Jolson songs (Jackie was a big fan of his). Many familiar with him and his voice insist that he could have sung opera if he'd put his mind to it.
This was a dude simple and complex--I lay part of it to his being a Gemini (yeah, sometimes I believe in that stuff. Miles was one, I believe, and I got an Uncle who is one that made me a believer with his Jekyll Hyde personality)
It was a shame he didn't do more with his talent, but he had no guidance. Once he learned singing and performing he left it at that-- |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10246
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 02:00 pm: |
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With his dreamy-eyed gaze, bronzed complextion, processed pompador hairstyle, crooning tenor voice, smooth dance moves including back bending splits, Jackie was a pleasure to watch. But in my opinion, after a while his performances became too predictiable. He never strayed from the mode. If you saw one of his performances, you saw them all. But I guess he figured if it ain't broke, don't fix it. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 5449
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 03:23 pm: |
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With his dreamy-eyed gaze, bronzed complextion, processed pompador hairstyle, crooning tenor voice, smooth dance moves including back bending splits etc
(Oh, mother!) |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10250
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 04:20 pm: |
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Well, chrishayden, since you didn't post a picture or go into details about "experiencing" Jackie Wilson, I tried to bring him to life for those who aren't that familiar with him. Where is Mzuri when we need her??
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Libralind2
Veteran Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 934
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 05:57 pm: |
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No I actually saw her name somewhere but her middle name Nichelle, I took from the character on Star Trek. You know the only sister...
My grandmother HATED the name Tamara and wouldnt call her that because she said Tamara was a ho in the bible (of course my grandmother didnt use the word ho..) so we called my daughter Tammy until one day when she "thought" she was grown (she was at least 20 LOL) my daughter corrected us when we called her Tammy and said "my name is Tamara". I guess you say.."I aint ask for all this.." LOL
LiLi |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 10253
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 06:41 pm: |
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Actually that was a heartwarming anecdote, LiLi. And Tamara Nichelle is a beautiful name, certainly more palatable than some of those names out there nowadays. LOL |
Libralind2
Veteran Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 935
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 01:05 pm: |
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OK !!!??? LOL
LiLi |
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