The ''human voice '' consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds, a body part, for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds (vocal cords) are the primary sound source. Generally speaking, the mechanism for generating the human voice can be subdivided into three parts; the lungs, the vocal folds within the larynx, and the articulators. The lung (the pump) must produce adequate airflow and air pressure to vibrate vocal folds (this air pressure is the fuel of the voice). The vocal folds (vocal cords) are a vibrating valve that chops up the airflow from the lungs into audible pulses that form the laryngeal sound source. The muscles of the larynx adjust the length and tension of the vocal folds to ‘fine tune’ pitch and tone. The articulators (the parts of the vocal tract above the larynx consisting of tongue, palate, cheek, lips, etc.) articulate and filter the sound emanating from the larynx and to some degree can interact with the laryngeal airflow to strengthen it or weaken it as a sound source.

The vocal folds, in combination with the articulators, are capable of producing highly intricate arrays of sound. The tone of voice may be modulated to suggest emotions such as anger, surprise, or happiness. Singers use the human voice as an instrument for creating music.

Voice types and the folds (cords) themselves

Adult men and women have different sizes of vocal fold; reflecting the male-female differences in larynx size. Adult male voices are usually lower-pitched and have larger folds. The male vocal folds (which would be measured vertically in the opposite diagram), are between 17 mm and 25 mm in length. The female vocal folds are between 12.5 mm and 17.5 mm in length.

As seen in the illustration, the folds are located just above the vertebrate trachea (the windpipe, which travels from the lungs). Food and drink do not pass through the cords but instead pass through the esophagus, an unlinked tube. Both tubes are separated by the epiglottis, a "flap" that covers the opening of the trachea while swallowing.

The folds in both sexes are within the larynx. They are attached at the back (side nearest the spinal cord) to the ''arytenoids cartilages'', and at the front (side under the chin) to the thyroid cartilage. They have no outer edge as they blend into the side of the breathing tube (the illustration is out of date and does not show this well) while their inner edges or "margins" are free to vibrate (the hole). They have a three layer construction of an epithelium, vocal ligament, then muscle (vocalis muscle), which can shorten and bulge the folds. They are flat triangular bands and are pearly white in color. Above both sides of the vocal cord is the vestibular fold or ''false vocal cord'', which has a small sac between its two folds (not illustrated).

The difference in vocal folds size between men and women means that they have differently pitched voices. Additionally, genetics also causes variances amongst the same sex, with men and women's singing voices being categorized into types. For example, among men, there are bass, baritone, tenor and countertenor (ranging from E2 to even F6), and among women, contralto, mezzo-soprano and soprano (ranging from F3 to C6). There are additional categories for operatic voices, see voice type. This is not the only source of difference between male and female voice. Men, generally speaking, have a larger vocal tract, which essentially gives the resultant voice a lower-sounding timbre. This is mostly independent of the vocal folds themselves.

Voice modulation in spoken language

Human spoken language makes use of ability of almost all persons in a given society to dynamically modulate certain parameters of the laryngeal voice source in a consistent manner. The most important communicative, or phonetic, parameters are the voice pitch (determined by the vibratory frequency of the vocal folds) and the degree of separation of the vocal folds, referred to as vocal fold adduction (coming together) or abduction (separating).

The ability to vary the ab/adduction of the vocal folds quickly has a strong genetic component, since vocal fold adduction has a life-preserving function in keeping food from passing into the lungs, in addition to the covering action of the epiglottis. Consequently, the muscles that control this action are among the fastest in the body. Children can learn to use this action consistently during speech at an early age, as they learn to speak the difference between utterances such as "apa" (having an abductory-adductory gesture for the p) as "aba" (having no abductory-adductory gesture). Surprisingly enough, they can learn to do this well before the age of two by listening only to the voices of adults around them who have voices much different from their own, and even though the laryngeal movements causing these phonetic differentiations are deep in the throat and not visible to them.

If an abductory movement or adductory movement is strong enough, the vibrations of the vocal folds will stop (or not start). If the gesture is abductory and is part of a speech sound, the sound will be called Voiceless. However, voiceless speech sounds are sometimes better identified as containing an abductory gesture, even if the gesture was not strong enough to stop the vocal folds from vibrating. This anomalous feature of voiceless speech sounds is better understood if it is realized that it is the change in the spectral qualities of the voice as abduction proceeds that is the primary acoustic attribute that the listener attends to when identifying a voiceless speech sound, and not simply the presence or absence of voice (periodic energy).

An adductory gesture is also identified by the change in voice spectral energy it produces. Thus, a speech sound having an adductory gesture may be referred to as a "glottal stop" even if the vocal fold vibrations do not entirely stop. for an example illustrating this, obtained by using the inverse filtering of oral airflow.]

Other aspects of the voice, such as variations in the regularity of vibration, are also used for communication, and are important for the trained voice user to master, but are more rarely used in the formal phonetic code of a spoken language.

Physiology and vocal timbre

The sound of each individual's voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body, especially the vocal tract, and the manner in which the speech sounds are habitually formed and articulated. (It is this latter aspect of the sound of the voice that can be mimicked by skilled performers.) Humans have vocal folds that can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body, and an individual's size and bone structure can affect somewhat the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx, which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant, which has been shown to be a resonance added to the normal resonances of the vocal tract above the frequency range of most instruments and so enables the singer's voice to carry better over musical accompaniment.

Vocal registration

Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the human voice. A register in the human voice is a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality. Registers originate in ''laryngeal'' functioning. They occur because the vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibratory patterns. Each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular ''Vocal range range'' of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds. the term register can be somewhat confusing as it encompasses several aspects of the human voice. The term register can be used to refer to any of the following:

A particular part of the vocal range such as the upper, middle, or lower registers.

A resonance area such as chest voice or head voice.

A phonatory process.

A certain vocal timbre.

A region of the voice that is defined or delimited by vocal breaks.

A subset of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting.

In linguistics, a register language is a language that combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system.

Within speech pathology the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a certain vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, a certain series of pitches, and a certain type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four vocal registers based on the physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal fry register, the modal register, and the falsetto register, and the whistle register. This view is also adopted by many vocal pedagogists.

Vocal resonation

Vocal resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air. Various terms related to the resonation process include amplification, enrichment, enlargement, improvement, intensification, and prolongation; although in strictly scientific usage acoustic authorities would question most of them. The main point to be drawn from these terms by a singer or speaker is that the end result of resonation is, or should be, to make a better sound. There are seven areas that may be listed as possible vocal resonators. In sequence from the lowest within the body to the highest, these areas are the chest, the tracheal tree, the larynx itself, the pharynx, the oral cavity, the nasal cavity, and the sinuses.

Influences of the human voice

The twelve-tone musical scale, upon which some of the music in the world is based, may have its roots in the sound of the human voice during the course of evolution, according to a study published by the New Scientist. Analysis of recorded speech samples found peaks in acoustic energy that mirrored the distances between notes in the twelve-tone scale.

Voice disorders

There are many disorders that affect the human voice; these include speech impediments, and growths and lesions on the vocal folds. Talking for improperly long periods of time causes vocal loading, which is stress inflicted on the speech organs. When vocal injury is done, often an ENT specialist may be able to help, but the best treatment is the prevention of injuries through good vocal production. Voice therapy is generally delivered by a speech-language pathologist.

Vocal Cord Nodules and Polyps

Vocal nodules are caused over time by repeated abuse of the vocal cords which results in soft, swollen spots on each vocal cord. These spots develop into harder, callous-like growths called nodules. The longer the abuse occurs the larger and stiffer the nodules will become. Most polyps are larger than nodules and may be called by other names, such as polypoid degeneration or Reinke's edema. Polyps are caused by a single occurrence and may require surgical removal. Irritation after the removal may then lead to nodules if additional irritation persists. Speech-language therapy teaches the patient how to eliminate the irritations permanently through habit changes and vocal hygiene. Hoarseness or breathiness that lasts for more than two weeks is a common symptom of an underlying voice disorder such as nodes or polyps and should be investigated medically.

See also

Accent (linguistics)

Acoustic phonetics

Belt (music)

Histology of the Vocal Folds

Intelligibility (communication)

Lombard effect

Manner of articulation

Paralanguage: nonverbal voice cues in communication

Phonation

Phonetics

Voice change in boys

Speaker recognition

Speaker verification

Speech Synthesis

Vocal loading

Vocal rest

Vocal range

Vocal warm up

Vocology

Voice analysis

Voice disorders

Voice frequency

Voice organ

Voice pedagogy

Voice projection

Voice synthesis

Voice types (singing voices)

References

Further reading

Howard, D.M., and Murphy, D.T.M. (2009). Voice science acoustics and recording, San Diego: Plural Press.

Titze, I. R. (2008). The human instrument. Sci.Am. 298 (1):94–101.

Thurman, Leon & Welch, ed., Graham (2000), Bodymind & voice: Foundations of voice education (revised ed.), Collegeville, Minnesota: The VoiceCare Network et al., ISBN 0-87414-123-0

External links

University College London">Free Voice analyzer and Biometrics displaying software from University College London

The Head Voice and Other Problems, 1917, by D. A. Clippinger, from Project Gutenberg

The Voice Foundation's official website

The Anatomy of Singing

David Harper, vocal coach: A passion for the voice that never wanes – Opera~Opera article

Irish Voice festival official website

How the voice works-- ''The Voice Works Like a Car''

Voice acoustics: an introduction from the University of New South Wales

Category:Phonetics Category:Voice registers Category:Vocal music

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name	Jackie Wilson
background	solo_singer
birth name	Jack Leroy Wilson, Jr.
alias	Mr. Excitement, The Black Elvis
born	June 09, 1934Detroit, Michigan,United States
died	January 21, 1984Mount Holly, New Jersey,United States
instrument	Vocals
genre	R&B, soul, pop
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
years active	1953–1975
label	DeeGee RecordsKing RecordsFederal RecordsBrunswick Records
associated acts	Billy Ward and His Dominoes
website	Official site }}

Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history. Gaining fame in his early years as a member of the R&B vocal group Billy Ward and His Dominoes, he went solo in 1957 and recorded over 50 hit singles that spanned R&B, pop, soul, doo-wop and easy listening. During a 1975 benefit concert, he collapsed on-stage from a heart attack and subsequently fell into a coma that persisted for nearly nine years until his death in 1984. By this time, he had become one of the most influential artists of his generation.

A two-time ''Grammy Hall of Fame'' Inductee, Jackie Wilson was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked Jackie Wilson #68 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Early years and career

Jack Leroy Wilson, Jr. was born on June 9, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan, the only son of Jack, Sr. and Eliza Mae Wilson. Eliza Mae was born on The Billups-Whitfield Place in Columbus, Mississippi. Her parents were Tom and Virginia Ransom. Jackie often visited his family in Columbus and was greatly influenced by the choir at Billups Chapel. Growing up in the rough Detroit area of North End, Wilson joined a gang called the Shakers (the name taken from the Shaker Heights section of Detroit) and often found himself in trouble. Wilson's father was frequently absent, as he was an alcoholic and usually out of work. Young Jackie was introduced to alcohol by his father at the age of nine. Wilson began singing at an early age, accompanying his mother, once a choir singer, to church. In his early teens Jackie formed a quartet, the Ever Ready Gospel Singers, which became a popular feature of churches in the area. Jackie wasn't very religious, he just loved to sing and the cash he and his group earned came in handy for the cheap wine which he drank since the age of nine. Jack Sr. and Eliza separated shortly after this. Wilson dropped out of high school at age 15, having already been sentenced to detention in the Lansing Corrections system for juveniles twice. During his second stint in detention, he learned boxing and started performing in the amateur circuit in the Detroit area at the age of 16. His record in the Golden Gloves was 2 and 8. After his mother pleaded with him to quit, Wilson got married to Freda Hood and became a father at 17. He gave up boxing for music, first working at Lee's Sensation club as a solo singer, then forming a group called the Falcons (not to be confused with The Falcons Wilson Pickett was part of), that included cousin Levi Stubbs, who later went on to lead the Four Tops (two more of Wilson's cousins, Hubert Johnson and Levi's brother Joe, later became members of The Contours). The other members joined Hank Ballard as part of The Midnighters.

Jackie Wilson was soon discovered by talent agent Johnny Otis, who assigned him to join a group called the Thrillers. That group would later be known as The Royals (who would later evolve into R&B group, The Midnighters, but Wilson wasn't part of the group when they changed their name and signed with King Records). Wilson, however, has credited LaVern Baker for his discovery. Baker, Little Willie John, Johnnie Ray and Della Reese were acts managed by Al Green, owner of two music publishing companies, Pearl Music and Merrimac Music, and Detroit's Flame Show Bar where Wilson met LaVern Baker. After recording two versions of "Danny Boy" with Dizzy Gillespie's record label Dee Gee Records under the name Sonny Wilson (his nickname), Wilson was recruited by Billy Ward in 1953 to join a group Ward formed in 1950 called The Dominoes after a successful audition to replace the immensely popular Clyde McPhatter, who had left and formed his own group, The Drifters. Ward felt a stage name would fit The Dominoes' image, hence ''Jackie'' Wilson. Prior to leaving The Dominoes, Wilson was coached by McPhatter on the sound Billy Ward wanted for his group, influencing Wilson's singing style. "I learned a lot from Clyde, that high-pitched choke he used and other things...Clyde McPhatter was my man. Clyde and Billy Ward." Forties blues singer Roy Brown was also an influence on him, and Wilson grew up listening to The Mills Brothers, The Ink Spots, Louis Jordan and Al Jolson. Wilson was the group's lead singer for three years, but the Dominoes lost some of their stride with the departure of McPhatter. They were able to make appearances riding on the strength of the group's earlier hits, until 1956 when the Dominoes recorded Wilson with an unlikely interpretation of the pop hit, "St. Therese of the Roses", giving The Dominoes a temporary boost in popularity before he began a solo career in 1957. After leaving the Dominoes, he and cousin Levi got work at Detroit's Flame Show Bar, owned by Al Green. Green worked out a deal with Decca Records, and Wilson was signed to their subsidiary label, Brunswick.

Solo stardom

Shortly before Wilson signed a solo contract with Brunswick, Al Green suddenly died. Green's business partner, Nat Tarnopol, took over as Wilson's manager (and later rose to president of Brunswick). Wilson's first single was released, "Reet Petite" from the album ''He's So Fine'', which became a modest R&B success (and many years later, a huge international smash). The song was written by another former boxer, Berry Gordy, Jr., who co-wrote it with partner Roquel "Billy" Davis (who also went by the pseudonym Tyran Carlo) and Gordy's sister Gwendolyn. Soon the trio composed and produced nine hit singles for Wilson, including "To Be Loved", "(That's Why) I Love You So", "I'll Be Satisfied" and his late-1958 signature song, "Lonely Teardrops", which peaked at No. 7 on the pop charts, No. 1 on the R&B charts, and established him as an R&B superstar known for his extraordinary, operatic multi-octave vocal range.

Due to his fervor when performing, with his dynamic dance moves, singing and impeccable dress, he was soon christened "Mr. Excitement", a title he would keep for the remainder of his career. His stagecraft in his live shows inspired Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, among others. Presley was so impressed by Wilson that he made it a point to meet him, and the two instantly became good friends. Presley once dubbed Jackie "The Black Elvis." Wilson's powerful, electrifying live performances rarely failed to bring audiences to a state of frenzy. His live performances consisted of knee-drops, splits, spins, one-footed across-the-floor slides, a lot of basic boxing steps (advance and retreat shuffling) and getting girls in the audience to come up and kiss him. Wilson also said he was influenced by Presley too, saying "A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis."

In 1958, Davis and Gordy left Wilson and Brunswick after royalty disputes escalated between them and Nat Tarnopol. Davis soon became a successful staff songwriter and producer for Chess Records, while Gordy borrowed $800 from his family and used money he earned from royalties writing for Wilson to start his own recording studio, Hitsville USA, the foundation of Motown Records in his native Detroit. Meanwhile, convinced that Wilson could venture out of R&B and rock and roll, Tarnopol had the singer record operatic ballads and easy listening material, pairing him with Decca Records' veteran arranger Dick Jacobs. Wilson scored hits as he entered the sixties with the No. 15 "Doggin' Around", the No. 1 pop ballad "Night", and "Baby Workout", another Top 10 hit (No. 5), which he composed with Midnighters member Alonzo Tucker. His songwriting alliance with Tucker also turned out other songs, including "No Pity (In The Naked City)" and "I'm So Lonely." Top 10 hits continued with "Alone At Last" (No. 8 in 1960) and "My Empty Arms" (No. 9 in 1961).

Also in 1961, Wilson recorded a tribute album to Al Jolson, ''Nowstalgia...You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet'', which included the only album liner notes he ever wrote: "...to the greatest entertainer of this or any other era...I guess I have just about every recording he's ever made, and I rarely missed listening to him on the radio...During the three years I've been making records, I've had the ambition to do an album of songs, which, to me, represent the great Jolson heritage...This is simply my humble tribute to the one man I admire most in this business...to keep the heritage of Jolson alive." The album was a commercial failure.

Following the success of "Baby Workout", Wilson experienced a lull in his career between 1964 and 1966 as Tarnopol and Brunswick Records released a succession of unsuccessful albums and singles. Despite the lack of sales success, he still made artistic gains as he recorded an album with Count Basie, as well as a series of duets with rhythm and blues legend Lavern Baker and gospel singer Linda Hopkins.

In 1966, he scored the first of two big comeback singles with established Chicago soul producer Carl Davis with "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" and "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", a No. 6 Pop smash in 1967, which became one of his final pop hits. This was followed by "I Get the Sweetest Feeling", which, despite its modest initial chart success in the US (Billboard Pop #34), has since become one of his biggest international chart successes, becoming a Top 10 hit in the UK twice, in 1972 and in 1987, and a Top 20 hit in the Dutch Top 40, and has spawned numerous cover versions by other artists such as Edwin Starr, Will Young, Erma Franklin (Aretha's sister) and Liz McClarnon.

A key to his musical rebirth was that Davis insisted that Wilson no longer record with Brunswick's musicians in New York; instead, he would record with legendary Detroit musicians normally employed by Motown Records and also Davis' own Chicago-based session players. The Detroit musicians, known as the Funk Brothers, participated on Wilson's recordings due to their respect for Davis and Wilson.

By 1975, Wilson and The Chi-Lites were Brunswick's only significant artists left on the aging label's roster. Until then, Wilson continued to record singles that found success on the R&B chart, but found no significant pop chart success. His final hit, "You Got Me Walkin' ", written by Eugene Record of the Chi-Lites, was released in 1972 with the Chi-Lites backing him on vocals and instruments.

Personal life

Wilson's personal life was full of tragedy. In 1960 in New Orleans, Wilson was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer when fans tried to climb onstage with Wilson. He shoved a policeman who had shoved one of the fans. Wilson had a reputation of being rather quick-tempered. On February 15, 1961 in Manhattan, Wilson was injured in a shooting. It is said the real story behind this incident is that one of his girlfriends, Juanita Jones, shot and wounded him in a jealous rage when he returned to his apartment with another woman, fashion model Harlean Harris, an ex-girlfriend of Sam Cooke's. Supposedly, his management concocted a story to protect Wilson's reputation; that Jones was an obsessed fan who had threatened to shoot herself, and that Wilson's intervention resulted in him being shot. Wilson was shot twice: One bullet would result in the loss of a kidney, the other lodged too close to his spine to be operated on. However, in early 1975, in an interview conducted by author Arnold Shaw, Wilson maintained it actually was an overzealous fan whom he didn't know, that had shot him. "We also had some trouble in 1961. That was when some crazy chick took a shot at me and nearly put me away for good..." Nonetheless, the story of the overzealous fan was accepted, and no charges were brought against Jones.

Freda Hood, Wilson's first wife, with whom he had four children, divorced him in 1965 after 14 years of marriage, frustrated with his notorious womanizing. Although the divorce was amicable, Freda would regret her decision. Freda never stopped loving him, and Jackie treated her as though she were still his wife. His 16-year-old son, Jackie Jr. was shot and killed on a neighbor's porch in 1970 and two of Wilson's daughters also died at a young age. His daughter Sandra died in 1977 at the age of 24 of an apparent heart attack. Jacqueline Wilson was killed in 1988 in a drug related incident in Highland Park, Michigan. The death of Jackie Jr. devastated Wilson, and for the next couple of years he remained mostly a recluse, drinking and using marijuana and cocaine.

Wilson's second marriage was to model Harlean Harris in 1967 with whom he had three children, but they separated soon after. Wilson later met and lived with Lynn Crochet. He was with Crochet until his heart attack in 1975. However, as he and Harris never officially divorced, Harris took the role of Wilson's caregiver for the singer's remaining nine years.

Wilson converted to Judaism.

Later years and death

Wilson had plans to mount a major comeback in 1975 with an album he recorded entitled ''Nobody But You''. These plans were crushed, when on September 29, 1975, Wilson suffered a massive heart attack while appearing in Dick Clark's Good Ol' Rock 'N Roll Revue at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Wilson collapsed on stage while singing a line from his hit "Lonely Teardrops" ("My heart is crying..."). He was revived after medical personnel worked nearly 30 minutes to stabilize his vitals, but the lack of oxygen to his brain left him comatose. Meanwhile, Eliza Mae Wilson died only two weeks after Jackie fell into a coma, severely distraught over her son's illness. He briefly emerged from his coma in early 1976 but slipped back into unconsciousness and was in a vegetative state for the remainder of his life, as an inpatient at a nursing home, eight years and four months. Jackie Wilson died January 21, 1984 of pneumonia, at the age of 49 at Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly, New Jersey, after being admitted for having trouble taking nourishment.

Wilson's funeral was attended by approximately 1,500 relatives, friends and fans. Initially he was buried in an unmarked grave. Months later, however, fans in Detroit raised money to purchase a mausoleum and re-interred him and his mother inside the structure. He is interred in the Westlawn Cemetery in Wayne, Michigan.

In 1987, a segment on Wilson on ABC's ''20/20'' featured the complicated legacy and death of Wilson. Both Harlean Harris and Lynn Crochet were interviewed, and the segment implied that Tarnopol took unfair advantage of his dual role as Wilson's manager and president of Brunswick Records. Jackie trusted Nat Tarnopol implicitly and foolishly signed over power-of-attorney to him. Around the time he left the hospital after the shooting incident, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seized Jackie's Detroit family home. Tarnopol and his accountant were supposed to take care of such matters. At the time Jackie had declared annual earnings of $263,000, while the average salary a man earned then was roughly $5,000 a year. Yet the fact was he was nearly broke. Fortunately, Jackie made arrangements with the IRS to make restitution on the unpaid taxes and to re-purchase the family home at auction. At the time of his death, it was estimated that Wilson was $300,000 in debt. CBS Records bought the Wilson masters from Brunswick and re-issued them in "The Jackie Wilson Story," Volumes 1 and 2, in order to help pay for some of the medical expenses he incurred. Charges that Tarnopol swindled Wilson out of most of his earnings were not pursued after Tarnopol's death.

Tributes and legacy

In 1985, the soul/funk band The Commodores recorded "Nightshift" in memory of Wilson and soul singer Marvin Gaye, who had both died in 1984. Reaching No. 1 R&B and No. 3 pop in the US, it was the group's biggest post-Lionel Richie hit.

Van Morrison also recorded a tribute song called "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" on his 1972 album ''Saint Dominic's Preview''. This song was later covered by Dexys Midnight Runners. When the track was performed on the British TV show ''Top of the Pops'', a picture of darts player Jocky Wilson was used instead. This has often been speculated to be a mistake but Dexy's frontman Kevin Rowland stated that it was a deliberate joke by the band.

Michael Jackson honored Jackie Wilson at the 1984 Grammy Awards. Jackson dedicated his Album of the Year Grammy for ''Thriller'' to Wilson, saying, "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."

Until Jackson's comments, Wilson's recording legacy had been dormant for almost a decade. Tarnopol owned Wilson's recordings due to Brunswick's separation from MCA, but the label had essentially closed down, essentially deleting Wilson's considerable recorded legacy. But when Jackson praised Wilson at the Grammys, interest in the legendary singer stirred, and Tarnopol released the first Wilson album (a two-record compilation) in almost nine years through Epic Records, Jackson's label at the time. Through Tarnopol's son, Wilson's music has become more available.

In the VH-1 5-part television special,''Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America'', fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Smokey Robinson and Bobby Womack both paid tribute to Jackie. Smokey explained that "Jackie Wilson was ''the'' most dynamic singer and performer that I think I've ''ever'' seen. Bobby added "He was the ''real'' Elvis Presley, as far as I'm concerned...and Elvis took a lot from him too."

In his autobiography ''To Be Loved'' (named for one of the hit tunes he wrote for Jackie) Motown founder Berry Gordy stated that Jackie Wilson was "The greatest singer I've ever heard. The epitome of natural greatness. Unfortunately for some, he set the standard I'd be looking for in singers forever".(Reference, ''To Be Loved'' by Berry Gordy,1994, pg 88.)

Jackie Wilson is mentioned in the song "Gone But Not Forgotten" sung by artist TQ, which is a song dedicated to the memory of famous musicians who have died. The lyric goes "..and Jackie, will you teach me how to glide across the stage?"

Wilson is mentioned in the rap song "Thugz Mansion" by Tupac Shakur. The lyric is:

"Seen a show with Marvin Gaye last night,It had me shook, sippin' peppermint schnappsWith Jackie Wilson, and Sam Cooke."

Wilson scored a posthumous hit when "Reet Petite" reached number one in the United Kingdom in 1986. This success was likely due in part to a new animated video made for the song, featuring a clay model of Wilson, that became hugely popular on television. The following year he hit the UK charts again with "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" (No.3), and "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (No.11).

Rita Coolidge covered "Higher and Higher" in 1977; her version reached No. 2 on the US pop charts, earning a gold record.

In 1999, Wilson's original version of "Higher and Higher" and "Lonely Teardrops" were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame,and both are on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the ''500 Greatest Songs of All Time''.

Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987; that same year, he was portrayed in the Ritchie Valens biopic ''La Bamba'' by Howard Huntsberry.

Wilson is referenced in the 1986 song "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." by ''John Mellencamp''.

In 1988, his version of "To Be Loved" was featured in the movie ''Coming to America'', when Akeem and Lisa were falling in love. Akeem (Eddie Murphy) later came back home singing the song loudly (and poorly), waking up and infuriating his neighbors.

In 1989, "Higher and Higher" was featured heavily in the comedy film ''Ghostbusters II,'' the soundtrack album of which featured a cover version of the song by Howard Huntsberry.

In 1992, Wilson was portrayed in the ABC miniseries by Grady Harrell in ''The Jacksons: An American Dream'' .

In 2005, Jackie Wilson was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. His recording of "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher" was voted a Legendary Michigan Song in 2008.

In 2007, Wilson's music was featured in a film adaptation of Irvine Welsh's book ''Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance''.

In September 2010, Wilson's hit song, That's Why (I Love You So), appeared on Dick Clark's Rock Roll and Remember.

Discography

''For a detailed listing of singles and albums, see Jackie Wilson discography.''

Hit singles

Year	Title	Chart positions
!US Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs>US R&B	!UK Singles Chart
	"Reet Petite"
"To Be Loved"
1958	"Lonely Teardrops"
	"That's Why (I Love You So)"
"I'll Be Satisfied"
"You Better Know It"
"Talk That Talk"
	"A Woman, a Lover, a Friend"
"Night"
"Alone at Last"
"Doggin' Around"
"Am I the Man"
"(You Were Made For) All My Love"
	"My Empty Arms"
"The Tear of the Year"
"I'm Comin' on Back to You"
1963	"Baby Workout"
1966	"Whispers (Gettin' Louder)"
1967	"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"
1969	"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (UK re-release)
1970	"(I Can Feel These Vibrations) This Love is For Real"
1972	"I Get the Sweetest Feeling"(UK re-release)
1975	"I Get the Sweetest Feeling" /"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"(UK re-release)
1986	"Reet Petite" (UK re-release)
	"I Get the Sweetest Feeling" (UK re-release)
"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"(UK second re-release)

Hit albums

Year	Title	Chart positions
Billboard 200>US Pop	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums>US R&B
	''Baby Workout''
''Merry Christmas from Jackie Wilson''
1966	''Whispers''
1967	''Higher and Higher''
1968	''Manufacturers of Soul''

References

External links

Jackiewilson.net

Jackie Wilson at history-of-rock.com

Jackie Wilson Tribute Artist

''The Rise and Fall of Jackie Wilson''

Spinning Soul.com -''The Tragic Life of Jackie Wilson''

''Jackie Wilson'' on the ''Soul Patrol'' website

''The Soul Guy'' website: ''Jackie Wilson''

''Jackie Wilson'': "A history in pictures" from the ''Soulwalking U. K.'' website

''Brunswick Records Album Discography (including Jackie Wilson)

Category:1934 births Category:1984 deaths Category:African American male singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American soul singers Category:American shooting survivors Category:Jews in the African diaspora Category:Converts to Judaism Category:Deaths from pneumonia Category:Infectious disease deaths in New Jersey Category:Musicians from Detroit, Michigan Category:People with severe brain damage Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees

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