140-468: The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit -based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of studio musicians in music history. Among their hits are " My Girl ", " I Heard It Through the Grapevine ", " Baby Love ", " I Was Made to Love Her ", " Papa Was
280-509: A Dream " speech in Washington, D.C., two months later. While the civil rights movement gained significant federal civil rights laws in 1964 and 1965, longstanding inequities resulted in confrontations between the police and inner-city black youth who wanted change. I have a dream this afternoon that my four little children, that my four little children will not come up in the same young days that I came up within, but they will be judged on
420-516: A Motown record. The following list covers the musicians most frequently used on Motown recordings from 1959 through 1972; it is not an exhaustive list of every musician ever used. The 13 Funk Brothers recognized as official band members by NARAS are marked with an asterisk. Some also count backing vocalist trio the Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps) as notable contributors to
560-468: A Rollin' Stone ", " The Tears of a Clown ", " Ain't No Mountain High Enough ", and " Heat Wave ". Some combination of the members played on each of Motown's 100-plus U.S. R&B number one singles and 50-plus U.S. Pop number ones released from 1961 to 1972. There is no undisputed list of the members of the group. Some writers have claimed that virtually every musician who ever played on a Motown track
700-740: A benefit at the Hollywood Palladium to raise funds for Wilson on March 4. Wilson was deemed conscious but incapacitated in early June 1976, aware of his surroundings but unable to speak. He was a resident of the Medford Leas Retirement Center in Medford, New Jersey , when he was admitted into Memorial Hospital of Burlington County in Mount Holly, New Jersey , due to having trouble taking nourishment, according to his attorney John Mulkerin. Elvis Presley covered
840-497: A better singer than McPhatter. Billy Ward felt a stage name would better fit the Dominoes' image, hence Jackie Wilson. Before leaving the Dominoes, McPhatter coached Wilson on the sound Billy Ward wanted for his group, influencing Wilson's singing style and stage presence. "I learned a lot from Clyde, that high-pitched choke he used and other things...Clyde McPhatter was my man. Clyde and Billy Ward." 1940s blues singer Roy Brown
980-506: A bluegrass-rock cover of "Higher and Higher" on his first solo album, Stranger Things Have Happened , having previously self-released a single featuring it in 1981. The song remained Tork's signature solo number in subsequent Monkees concert tours. In the 2010 VH1 television special Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America , Smokey Robinson and Bobby Womack both paid tribute to Wilson. Smokey explained that "Jackie Wilson
1120-407: A cohesive community, who gradually were superseded as the dominant population after more Anglo-American settlers arrived in the early 19th century with American westward migration. Living along the shores of Lake St. Clair and south to Monroe and downriver suburbs, the ethnic French Canadians of Detroit, also known as Muskrat French in reference to the fur trade, remain a subculture in the region in
1260-481: A deal with Decca Records , and Wilson was signed to its subsidiary label Brunswick . Shortly before Wilson signed a solo contract with Brunswick, Green suddenly died. Green's business partner Nat Tarnopol took over as Wilson's manager (and ultimately rose to president of Brunswick). Wilson's first single was released, " Reet Petite " (from his first album He's So Fine ), which became a modest R&B success (many years later, an international smash hit). "Reet Petite"
1400-464: A direct relationship between unfair housing practices and educational segregation, as the composition of students in the schools followed segregated neighborhoods. The District Court held all levels of government accountable for the segregation in its ruling. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed some of the decision, holding that it was the state's responsibility to integrate across the segregated metropolitan area. The U.S. Supreme Court took up
1540-612: A federally subsidized, extensive highway and freeway system around Detroit, and pent-up demand for new housing stimulated suburbanization ; highways made commuting by car for higher-income residents easier. However, this construction had negative implications for many lower-income urban residents. Highways were constructed through and completely demolished neighborhoods of poor residents and black communities who had less political power to oppose them. The neighborhoods were mostly low income, considered blighted, or made up of older housing where investment had been lacking due to racial redlining, so
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#17327731030061680-514: A few other tracks on Dizzy Gillespie 's record label Dee Gee Records under his nickname, Sonny Wilson, he was eventually hired by Billy Ward in 1953 to join a group Ward formed in 1950 called the Dominoes , after Wilson's successful audition to replace the immensely popular Clyde McPhatter , who left the Dominoes and formed the Drifters . Wilson almost blew his chance that day, showing up calling himself "The shit" Wilson and bragging about being
1820-470: A friend for life". Wilson was sometimes called "The Black Elvis". Reportedly, when asked about this Presley said, "I guess that makes me the white Jackie Wilson." Wilson also said he was influenced by Presley, 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." Wilson's powerful, electrifying live performances rarely failed to bring audiences to
1960-515: A fundraiser spearheaded by an Orlando disc jockey "Jack the Rapper" Gibson to purchase a mausoleum. On June 9, 1987, his 53rd birthday, a ceremony was held and Wilson was interred in the mausoleum at Westlawn Cemetery in Wayne, Michigan . His mother Eliza Wilson, who died in 1975, was also placed in the mausoleum. Wilson converted to Judaism as an adult, likely as a publicity stunt. He recorded
2100-437: A jealous rage when he returned to his Manhattan apartment with another woman: Fashion model Harlean Harris, an ex-girlfriend of Sam Cooke (and later Wilson's second wife). Wilson's management supposedly concocted the story about her being a zealous fan to protect Wilson's reputation. They claimed that Jones was an obsessed fan who had threatened to shoot herself, and that Wilson's intervention resulted in his being shot. Wilson
2240-451: A large portion of Wilson’s medical bills. Wilson's friend Joyce McRae tried to become his caregiver while he was in the nursing home, but he was placed in the guardianship of his estranged wife Harlean Harris and her lawyer John Mulkerin in 1978. Wilson died on January 21, 1984, at the age of 49 from complications of pneumonia . He was initially buried in an unmarked grave at Westlawn Cemetery near Detroit. In 1987, fans raised money in
2380-581: A lawsuit. However, a trial to sue Tarnopol for royalties never took place, as Wilson lay in a nursing home semi-comatose. Tarnopol never paid Wilson monies he had coming to him, and Wilson died owing money to Brunswick Records and an estimated $ 300,000 to the IRS. At the age of 17, Wilson married his pregnant girlfriend Freda Hood in 1951. They had four children: Jacqueline Denise (1951–1988), Sandra Kay (1953–1977), Jackie Jr (1954–1970), and Anthony Duane. Hood divorced Wilson in 1965 after 14 years of marriage, as she
2520-540: A majority of black people in Detroit resorted to living in all-black neighborhoods such as Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. At this time, white people still made up about 90.4% of the city's population. White residents attacked black homes: breaking windows, starting fires, and detonating bombs. In the 1940s the world's "first urban depressed freeway" ever built, the Davison , was constructed. During World War II ,
2660-538: A mixed-use office and retail complex, opened in 1977. This group of skyscrapers was an attempt to keep businesses in downtown. Young also gave city support to other large developments to attract middle and upper-class residents back to the city. Despite the Renaissance Center and other projects, the downtown area continued to lose businesses to the automobile-dependent suburbs. Major stores and hotels closed, and many large office buildings went vacant. Young
2800-416: A moniker that remained throughout his career. His stagecraft in his live shows inspired James Brown , Teddy Pendergrass , Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley , as well as a host of other artists that followed. Presley was so impressed with Wilson that he set out to meet him, and the two instantly became good friends. In a photo of the two posing together, Presley's caption in the autograph reads "You got you
2940-788: A population of 639,111 at the 2020 census , making it the 26th-most populous city in the United States. The Metro Detroit area, home to 4.3 million people, is the second-largest in the Midwest after the Chicago metropolitan area and the 14th-largest in the United States. A significant cultural center, Detroit is known for its contributions to music, art, architecture and design, in addition to its historical automotive background. In 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and Alphonse de Tonty founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit . During
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#17327731030063080-502: A reconfiguration of downtown's main intersection as a new park, was opened in 2004. The park has been cited as one of the best public spaces in the United States. In 2001, the first portion of the International Riverfront redevelopment was completed as a part of the city's 300th-anniversary celebration. Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984), also known as Jackie Wilson ,
3220-568: A rented workshop on Mack Avenue. During this growth period, Detroit expanded its borders by annexing all or part of several surrounding villages and townships. In 1903, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company . Ford's manufacturing—and those of automotive pioneers William C. Durant , Horace and John Dodge, James and William Packard, and Walter Chrysler —established the Big Three automakers and cemented Detroit's status in
3360-408: A state of frenzy. His live performances consisted of knee-drops, splits, spins, back-flips, one-footed across-the-floor slides, removing his tie and jacket and throwing them off the stage, basic boxing steps like advance and retreat shuffling, and one of his favorite routines, getting some of the less attractive women in the audience to come up to the stage and kiss him. Wilson often said "if I get
3500-531: 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
3640-448: 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
3780-599: A tribute song called " Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile) " on his 1972 album Saint Dominic's Preview . It was covered by Dexys Midnight Runners in 1982. After Wilson's death, Michael Jackson paid tribute to him at the 1984 Grammy Awards . Jackson dedicated his Album of the Year Grammy for Thriller to Wilson, saying, "Some people are entertainers and some people are great entertainers. Some people are followers. And some people make
3920-635: A version of Lew Pollack and Jack Yellen 's famed Jewish-themed song " My Yiddishe Momme " in New York in November 1960. Wilson had a reputation for being short-tempered and promiscuous. In her autobiography, Patti LaBelle accused Wilson of sexually assaulting her backstage at Brooklyn's Brevoort Theatre in the 1960s. On February 15, 1961, in Manhattan , Wilson was shot and seriously wounded by Juanita Jones, one of his girlfriends, who shot him in
4060-518: Is marked with diversity, having both local and international influences. Detroit gave rise to the music genres of Motown and techno , and also played an important role in the development of jazz , hip-hop , rock , and punk . A globally unique stock of architectural monuments and historic places was the result of the city's rapid growth in its boom years. Since the 2000s, conservation efforts have managed to save many architectural pieces and achieve several large-scale revitalizations , including
4200-643: Is named after the Detroit River , connecting Lake Huron with Lake Erie . The name comes from the French word détroit meaning ' strait ' as the city was situated on a narrow passage of water linking the two lakes. The river was known as le détroit du Lac Érié in French, which means ' the strait of Lake Erie ' . In the historical context, the strait included the St. Clair River , Lake St. Clair , and
4340-595: Is quoted as saying, "Thank God for Michigan!" George Armstrong Custer led the Michigan Brigade during the Civil War and called them the "Wolverines". The city's tensions over race, and nationally, the draft led to the Detroit race riot of 1863 , in which violence erupted, leaving some dead and over 200 Black residents homeless. This prompted the establishment of a full-time police force in 1865. During
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4480-572: The Chicago Tribune , it was the 3rd most costly riot in the United States. On August 18, 1970, the NAACP filed suit against Michigan state officials, including Governor William Milliken , charging de facto public school segregation. The NAACP argued that although schools were not legally segregated, the city of Detroit and its surrounding counties had enacted policies to maintain racial segregation in public schools. The NAACP also suggested
4620-801: The Great March on Detroit ) Longstanding tensions in Detroit culminated in the Twelfth Street riot in July 1967. Governor George W. Romney ordered the Michigan National Guard into Detroit, and President Lyndon B. Johnson sent in U.S. Army troops. The result was 43 dead, 467 injured, over 7,200 arrests, and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed, mostly in black residential and business areas. Thousands of small businesses closed permanently or relocated to safer neighborhoods. The affected district lay in ruins for decades. According to
4760-521: The Mound Builders . By the 17th century, the region was inhabited by Huron , Odawa , Potawatomi , and Iroquois peoples. The area is known by the Anishinaabe people as Waawiiyaataanong , translating to 'where the water curves around'. The first Europeans did not penetrate into the region and reach the straits of Detroit until French missionaries and traders worked their way around
4900-673: The Potowatomi , Ojibwe and Huron, launched Pontiac's War in 1763 and laid siege to Fort Detroit but failed to capture it. In defeat, France ceded its territory in North America east of the Mississippi to Britain following the war. When Great Britain evicted France from Canada , it also removed one barrier to American colonists migrating west. British negotiations with the Iroquois would both prove critical and lead to
5040-722: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He is also inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame . Two of Wilson's recordings were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. He was honored with the Legacy Tribute Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 2003. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Wilson No. 69 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time , and placed him on their list of
5180-869: The Royal Proclamation of 1763 , which limited settlements below the Great Lakes and west of the Alleghenies . Many colonists and pioneers in the Thirteen Colonies resented and then defied this restraint, later becoming supporters of the American Revolution . By 1773, after the addition of the Anglo-American settlers, the population of Detroit was 1,400. During the American Revolutionary War,
5320-463: The Soul Brothers", since Motown CEO Berry Gordy, Jr. disliked the word " funk ". Alternatively, the name "Funk Brothers" could have been given to the band ex post facto ; the term "funky" as an adjective came to be associated with uptempo and backbeat , Southern-styled soul music in the second half of the 1960s; the term "funk" as a noun is typically associated with uptempo soul music from
5460-757: The White House to meet President George W. Bush , Secretary of State Colin Powell , and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice , in an event tied to Black History Month . In 2007, the Funk Brothers were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville . On March 21, 2013, the Funk Brothers were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In August 2014,
5600-575: The " Big Three " auto manufacturers— General Motors , Ford , and Stellantis North America ( Chrysler )—are all headquartered in Metro Detroit. It houses the Detroit Metropolitan Airport , one of the most important hub airports in the United States. Detroit and its neighboring Canadian city Windsor constitute the second-busiest international crossing in North America, after San Diego–Tijuana . Detroit's culture
5740-574: The "Paris of the West" for its architecture, grand avenues in the Paris style, and for Washington Boulevard, recently electrified by Thomas Edison . The city had grown steadily from the 1830s with the rise of shipping, shipbuilding, and manufacturing industries. Strategically located along the Great Lakes waterway, Detroit emerged as a major port and transportation hub. In 1896, a thriving carriage trade prompted Henry Ford to build his first automobile in
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5880-715: The "vice president" or "secretary", and Laura Smith Haviland the "superintendent". Numerous men from Detroit volunteered to fight for the Union during the Civil War, including the 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment . It was part of the Iron Brigade , which fought with distinction and suffered 82% casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. When the First Volunteer Infantry Regiment arrived to fortify Washington, D.C. , President Abraham Lincoln
6020-482: The 155 people on board, as well as two people on the ground. In 1993, Young retired as Detroit's longest-serving mayor, deciding not to seek a sixth term, with Dennis Archer succeeding him. Archer prioritized downtown development, easing tensions with its suburban neighbors. A referendum to allow casino gambling in the city passed in 1996; several temporary casino facilities opened in 1999, and permanent downtown casinos with hotels opened in 2007–08. Campus Martius ,
6160-565: The 1920s the city had become a stronghold of the KKK", whose members primarily opposed Catholic and Jewish immigrants but also practiced discrimination against Black Americans. Even after the decline of the KKK in the late 1920s, the Black Legion , a secret vigilante group, was active in the Detroit area in the 1930s. One-third of its estimated 20,000 to 30,000 members in Michigan were based in
6300-679: The 1950s. Various Funk Brothers also appeared on such non-Motown hits as The San Remo Golden Strings "Hungry For Love", " Cool Jerk " ( the Capitols ), "Agent Double-O Soul" ( Edwin Starr , before that singer joined Motown itself), "(I Just Wanna) Testify" by the Parliaments , " Band Of Gold " ( Freda Payne ), " Give Me Just a Little More Time " ( The Chairmen of the Board ), and blues musician John Lee Hooker 's " Boom Boom ". After he found out about
6440-519: The 1960s with the No. 15 "Doggin' Around", the No. 4 pop ballad " Night ", another million-seller, and " Baby Workout ", another Top 10 hit (No. 5), which he composed with The 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
6580-509: The 1970s onwards. In the Standing in the Shadows of Motown documentary, Joe Hunter stated that the name "The Funk Brothers" came from Benny Benjamin. Hunter said that Benjamin was leaving the studio (known as the "Snake Pit", due to all the cable runs out of the ceiling) after session work, paused on the stairs, turned and said to his fellow musicians, "You all are the Funk Brothers." The band
6720-703: The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023). NPR named him one of the 50 Great Voices . Jack Leroy Wilson Jr. was born on June 9, 1934 in Highland Park, Michigan , the third and only surviving child of Eliza Mae Wilson (1900-1975) and singer Jack Leroy Wilson, Sr. (1903–1983). Eliza Mae was born on the Billups-Whitfield Place in Lowndes County, Mississippi to Virginia and Tom Ransom. Wilson often visited his family in Columbus and
6860-455: The 21st century. The Great Fire of 1805 destroyed most of the Detroit settlement, which had primarily buildings made of wood. One stone fort, a river warehouse, and brick chimneys of former wooden homes were the sole structures to survive. Of the 600 Detroit residents in this area, none died in the fire. The legacy of the fire of 1805 lives on in many aspects of modern Detroit heritage. The cities motto, "Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus"
7000-573: The American auto industry. Detroit manufacturers such as Packard and Hudson merged into other companies and eventually disappeared. At its peak population of 1,849,568, in the 1950 Census , the city was the fifth-largest in the United States. In this postwar era, the auto industry continued to create opportunities for many African Americans from the South, who continued with their Great Migration to Detroit and other northern and western cities to escape
7140-517: The Contours .) The other Falcons joined Hank Ballard as part of the Midnighters , including Alonzo Tucker and Billy Davis , who worked with Wilson several years later as a solo artist. Tucker and Wilson collaborated as songwriters on a few songs Wilson recorded, including his 1963 hit " Baby Workout ". Wilson was discovered by talent agent Johnny Otis , who recruited him for a group called
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#17327731030067280-593: The Detroit River carried 67,292,504 tons of shipping commerce through Detroit to locations all over the world. For comparison, London shipped 18,727,230 tons, and New York shipped 20,390,953 tons. The river was dubbed "the Greatest Commercial Artery on Earth" by The Detroit News in 1908. The prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933 resulted in the Detroit River becoming a major conduit for smuggling of illegal Canadian spirits. With
7420-405: The Detroit River. [REDACTED] Kingdom of France 1701–1760 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Great Britain 1760–1796 [REDACTED] United States 1796–1812 [REDACTED] United Kingdom 1812–1813 [REDACTED] United States 1813–present Paleo-Indians inhabited areas near Detroit as early as 11,000 years ago including the culture referred to as
7560-741: The Detroit amateur circuit at age 16. His record in the Golden Gloves was 2 and 8. After his mother forced him to quit boxing, Wilson got his girlfriend Freda Hood pregnant and her father forced him to marry her. He became a father at 17. Wilson began working at Lee's Sensation Club as a solo singer, then formed a group called the Falcons that included cousin Levi Stubbs , who later led the Four Tops . (Two more of Wilson's cousins, Hubert Johnson and Levi's brother Joe, later became members of
7700-467: The Edwin Starr session, Gordy fined members of the Funk Brothers band for moonlighting for another label; Eddie Wingate, owner of the Ric-Tic and Golden World labels, which released Starr's "Agent Double-O Soul", subsequently attended that year's Motown staff Christmas party and personally gave each of the fined session players double the amount of the fine in cash, on the spot. Gordy eventually bought out Wingate's label and his entire artist roster. During
7840-473: The Ever Ready Gospel Singers, who gained popularity in local churches. Wilson was not very religious, but he enjoyed singing in public. The money the quartet earned from performing was often spent on alcohol, and Wilson began drinking at an early age. Wilson dropped out of high school at 15, having been sentenced twice to detention in the Lansing Corrections system for juveniles. During his second stint in detention, Wilson learned to box and began competing in
7980-452: The Funk Brothers accompanied Phil Collins on his Motown covers album, Going Back , and appear in the live Going Back concert DVD. In 2010, the Funk Brothers were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. The Funk Brothers have received three Grammy awards: Bassist James Jamerson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, and drummer Benny Benjamin in 2003. In 2003, surviving members were invited to
8120-417: The Funk Brothers and Motown's sound. Membership lists based upon research by Allan Slutsky, with some minor corrections. Los Angeles was an alternate recording center for Motown artists beginning in the mid-1960s, utilizing a different set of musicians. Hit tracks recorded in L.A. include the Miracles ' " More Love ", many of Brenda Holloway 's songs, and all the early hits of the Jackson 5 . Many of
8260-431: The Funk Brothers were inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall Of Fame at the induction ceremony, which was held in Canton, Ohio that year. As discussed above, the name "The Funk Brothers" was a loosely applied designation. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences recognizes 13 musicians as official "Funk Brothers", but the name is often casually used as a catch-all designation to cover any musician who played on
8400-539: The Funk Brothers were presented the Grammy Legend Award at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in March 2006, some remaining Funk Brothers were invited to perform on Philadelphia writer-producer-singer Phil Hurtt's recording session at Studio A, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, where they contributed their performances to "The Soulful Tale of Two Cities" project. The double-album sleeve notes read: "Motown's legendary Funk Brothers and members of Philadelphia's world renowned MFSB take you 'back in
8540-505: The Iroquois League, with whom they were at war in the 1630s. The Huron and Neutral people held the north side of Lake Erie until the 1650s, when the Iroquois pushed them and the Erie people away from the lake and its beaver -rich feeder streams in the Beaver Wars of 1649–1655. By the 1670s, the war-weakened Iroquois laid claim to as far south as the Ohio River valley in northern Kentucky as hunting grounds, and had absorbed many other Iroquoian peoples after defeating them in war. For
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#17327731030068680-430: The Los Angeles players were members of the Wrecking Crew , a loose-knit group of studio musicians. Detroit Detroit ( / d ɪ ˈ t r ɔɪ t / dih- TROYT , locally also / ˈ d iː t r ɔɪ t / DEE -troyt ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan . It is the largest U.S. city on the Canadian border and the county seat of Wayne County . Detroit had
8820-438: The M.G.'s in Memphis , until the release of the Standing in the Shadows of Motown documentary, the members of the Funk Brothers were little known. Studio musicians were not credited by Motown until Marvin Gaye 's What's Going On in 1971, although Motown released a handful of singles and LPs by Earl Van Dyke. The Funk Brothers shared billing with Van Dyke on some recordings, although they were billed as "Earl Van Dyke &
8960-401: The Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland and 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 popular on the BBC Two TV network in the latter country. The following year, Wilson's posthumous charting success in the United Kingdom continued when he hit the UK Singles Chart again with " I Get
9100-403: 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. On September 29, 1975, Wilson was one of the featured acts in Dick Clark 's Good Ol' Rock and Roll Revue, hosted by the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey . He was in
9240-518: The South. Whites, including ethnic Europeans, feared black competition for jobs and scarce housing. The federal government prohibited discrimination in defense work, but when in June 1943 Packard promoted three black people to work next to whites on its assembly lines, 25,000 white workers walked off the job. The 1943 Detroit race riot took place in June, three weeks after the Packard plant protest, beginning with an altercation at Belle Isle . A total of 34 people were killed, 25 of them black and most at
9380-400: The South; they were outnumbered by southern whites who also migrated to the city. Immigration brought southern and eastern Europeans of Catholic and Jewish faith; these new groups competed with native-born whites for jobs and housing in the booming city. Detroit was one of the major Midwest cities that was a site for the dramatic urban revival of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) beginning in 1915. "By
9520-461: The Sweetest Feeling " (number three), and " (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher " (number 15). In Berry Gordy 's 1994 autobiography To Be Loved (named for one of the hit tunes he wrote for Wilson), Motown's founder stated that 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". In 1994, Peter Tork of The Monkees recorded
9660-635: The Thrillers. That group evolved into the Royals (who later became R&B group, the Midnighters , though Wilson was not part of the group when it changed its name and signed with King Records ). Wilson signed on with manager Al Green (not to be confused with R&B singer Al Green or Albert "Al" Green of the now-defunct National Records ). Green, who also managed LaVern Baker , Little Willie John , Johnnie Ray , and Della Reese , owned two music publishing companies, Pearl Music and Merrimac Music; and Detroit's Flame Show Bar, where Wilson met Baker. After Wilson recorded his first version of " Danny Boy " and
9800-529: The band as a third drummer. Late-era bassist Bob Babbitt and guitarist Dennis Coffey both joined the ensemble in 1966. While most of Motown's backing musicians were African American, and many originally from Detroit, the Funk Brothers included white players as well, such as Messina (who was the featured guitarist on Soupy Sales 's nighttime jazz TV show in the 1950s), Brokensha (originally from Australia), Coffey, and Pittsburgh-born Babbitt. Unlike their Stax Records backing-band contemporaries Booker T. &
9940-409: The basis of the content of their character, not the color of their skin ... I have a dream this evening that one day we will recognize the words of Jefferson that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." I have a dream ... —Martin Luther King Jr. (June 1963 Speech at
10080-576: The case February 27, 1974. The subsequent Milliken v. Bradley decision had nationwide influence. In a narrow decision, the Supreme Court found schools were a subject of local control, and suburbs could not be forced to aid with the desegregation of the city's school district. "Milliken was perhaps the greatest missed opportunity of that period", said Myron Orfield , professor of law at the University of Minnesota Law School . "Had that gone
10220-469: The center of the flag of the city. From 1805 to 1847, Detroit was the capital of Michigan as a territory and as a state. William Hull , the United States commander at Detroit, surrendered without a fight to British troops and their Native American allies during the War of 1812 in the siege of Detroit , believing his forces were vastly outnumbered. The Battle of Frenchtown was part of a U.S. effort to retake
10360-726: The city's access to the Canada–US border made it a key stop for refugee slaves gaining freedom in the North along the Underground Railroad . Many went across the Detroit River to Canada to escape pursuit by slave catchers. An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 African-American refugees settled in Canada. George DeBaptiste was considered to be the "president" of the Detroit Underground Railroad, William Lambert
10500-467: The city's population declined to less than 10 percent of the state's population. During the same time period, the sprawling metropolitan area grew to contain more than half of Michigan's population. The shift of population and jobs eroded Detroit's tax base. In June 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a major speech as part of a civil rights march in Detroit that foreshadowed his " I Have
10640-553: The city, and U.S. troops suffered their highest fatalities of any battle in the war. This battle is commemorated at River Raisin National Battlefield Park south of Detroit in Monroe County . Detroit was recaptured by the United States later that year. The settlement was incorporated as a city in 1815. As the city expanded, a radial geometric street plan developed by Chief Justice Augustus B. Woodward
10780-547: The city. It was defeated after numerous prosecutions following the kidnapping and murder in 1936 of Charles Poole, a Catholic organizer with the federal Works Progress Administration . Some 49 men of the Black Legion were convicted of numerous crimes, with many sentenced to life in prison for murder. By 1940, 80% of Detroit deeds contained restrictive covenants prohibiting African Americans from buying houses they could afford. These discriminatory tactics were successful as
10920-549: The day' with an album filled with classic Philly and Motown hits." Bob Babbitt , Joe Hunter , Uriel Jones, and Eddie Willis performed alongside other notable Detroit session musicians, like Ray Monette , Robert Jones, Spider Webb , and Treaty Womack. The musicians played on the Philly hits, giving their unique Detroit interpretations of the songs under the leadership of Phil Hurtt, Bobby Eli , Clay McMurray and Lamont Dozier. Many other ex-Motown and Detroit artists performed vocals on
11060-504: The early 20th century as the world's automotive capital. The growth of the auto industry was reflected by changes in businesses throughout the Midwest and nation, with the development of garages to service vehicles and gas stations, as well as factories for parts and tires. Because of the booming auto industry, Detroit became the fourth-largest city in the nation by 1920, following New York City , Chicago , and Philadelphia . In 1907,
11200-619: The entire Motown label to Los Angeles; a development some of the musicians discovered only from a notice on the studio door. A few members, including Jamerson, followed to the West Coast, but found the environment uncomfortable. For many of the L.A. recordings, members of the Wrecking Crew worked for Motown, including drummer Earl Palmer , percussionist Gary Coleman, bassist Carol Kaye , guitarist Tommy Tedesco , and keyboardist Larry Knechtel . In February 2004, surviving members of
11340-550: The establishment of the United States as an independent country, Britain ceded Detroit and other territories in the region under the 1783 Treaty of Paris , which established the southern border with its remaining colonial provinces in British North America , later Upper Canada . However, the area remained under British control, and its forces did not withdraw until 1796, following the 1794 Jay Treaty . By
11480-483: The genres of R&B , rock 'n' roll, soul, doo-wop , and easy listening . This included 16 Top 10 R&B hits, six of which ranked as number ones. On the Billboard Hot 100, Wilson scored 14 top 20 pop hits, six of which reached the top 10. In 1975, Wilson suffered a heart attack during a performance, which left him in a minimally conscious state until his death in 1984. Wilson was posthumously inducted to
11620-712: The government encouraged retooling of the American automobile industry in support of the Allied powers , leading to Detroit's key role in the American Arsenal of Democracy . Jobs expanded so rapidly due to the defense buildup in World War II that 400,000 people migrated to the city from 1941 to 1943, including 50,000 blacks in the second wave of the Great Migration, and 350,000 whites, many of them from
11760-404: 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
11900-402: The hands of the white police force, while 433 were wounded (75% of them black), and property valued at $ 2 million (worth $ 30.4 million in 2020) was destroyed. Rioters moved through the city, and young whites traveled across town to attack more settled blacks in their neighborhood of Paradise Valley . Industrial mergers in the 1950s, especially in the automobile sector, increased oligopoly in
12040-489: The highways were presented as a kind of urban renewal. These neighborhoods (such as Black Bottom and Paradise Valley) were extremely important to the black communities of Detroit, providing spaces for independent black businesses and social/cultural organizations. Their destruction displaced residents with little consideration of the effects of breaking up functioning neighborhoods and businesses. In 1956, Detroit's last heavily used electric streetcar line , which traveled along
12180-439: The indictment was the charge that Tarnopol owed at least $ 1 million in royalties to Wilson. In 1976 Tarnopol and the others were found guilty; an appeals court overturned their conviction 18 months later. Although the conviction was overturned, judges went into detail, outlining that Tarnopol and Brunswick Records did defraud their artists of royalties, and that they were satisfied that there was sufficient evidence for Wilson to file
12320-587: The indigenous and loyalist raids of 1778 and the resultant 1779 decisive Sullivan Expedition reopened the Ohio Country to even more westward emigration, which began almost immediately. By 1778, its population reached 2,144 and it was the third-largest city in what was known as the Province of Quebec since the British takeover of former French colonial possessions. After the American Revolutionary War and
12460-504: The influence of union leaders in the city such as Jimmy Hoffa of the Teamsters and Walter Reuther of the UAW. Detroit, like many places in the United States, developed racial conflict and discrimination in the 20th century following the rapid demographic changes as hundreds of thousands of new workers were attracted to the industrial city. The Great Migration brought rural blacks from
12600-407: The influx of black Detroiters to white neighborhoods, believing that their presence would lead to neighborhood deterioration. This perpetuated a cyclical exclusionary process that marginalized the agency of black Detroiters by trapping them in the unhealthiest, least safe areas of the city. As in other major American cities in the postwar era, modernist planning ideology drove the construction of
12740-416: The lack of sales success, Wilson still made artistic gains as he recorded an album with Count Basie , as well as a series of duets with R & B artist LaVern Baker and gospel singer Linda Hopkins . In 1966, Wilson scored the first of two big comeback singles with the established Chicago soul producer Carl Davis with "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" and " (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher ",
12880-655: The largest European settlement between Montreal and New Orleans , both also French settlements, in the former colonies of New France and La Louisiane , respectively. During the French and Indian War (1754–63)—the North American front of the Seven Years' War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of France —British troops gained control of the settlement in 1760 and shortened its name to Detroit. Several regional Native American tribes, such as
13020-532: The largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy , but successfully exited in December 2014. Detroit is a port on the Detroit River, one of the four major straits that connect the Great Lakes system to the St. Lawrence Seaway . The city anchors the third-largest regional economy in the Midwest and the 16th-largest in the United States. It is also best known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry , and
13160-407: The late 19th and early 20th century, it became an important industrial hub at the center of the Great Lakes region . The city's population rose to be the fourth-largest in the nation by 1920, after New York City , Chicago , and Philadelphia , with the expansion of the automotive industry in the early 20th century. One of its main features, the Detroit River , became the busiest commercial hub in
13300-535: The late 19th century, wealthy industry and shipping magnates commissioned the design and construction of several Gilded Age mansions east and west of the current downtown, along the major avenues of the Woodward plan. Most notable among them was the David Whitney House at 4421 Woodward Avenue , and the grand avenue became a favored address for mansions. During this period, some referred to Detroit as
13440-779: The latter a No. 6 pop hit in 1967 that became one of his final hits. " I Get the Sweetest Feeling ", despite its modest initial chart success in the U.S. (Billboard Pop No. 34), has since become one of his biggest international chart successes, ranking in Top 10 twice in the UK (in 1972 and 1987), and in the Top 20 of the Dutch Top 40 . "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" spawned numerous cover versions by other artists such as Edwin Starr , Will Young , Erma Franklin ( Aretha Franklin 's sister) and Liz McClarnon . A key to Wilson's musical rebirth
13580-417: The length of Woodward Avenue, was removed and replaced with gas-powered buses. It was the last line of what had once been a 534-mile network of electric streetcars. In 1941, at peak times, a streetcar ran on Woodward Avenue every 60 seconds. All of these changes in the area's transportation system favored low-density, auto-oriented development rather than high-density urban development. Industry also moved to
13720-491: The majority of the black community: with overall lower incomes and facing the backlash of discriminatory housing policies, the black community was limited to lower cost, lower quality housing in the city. The surge in the black population augmented the strain on housing scarcity. The livable areas available to the black community were limited, and as a result, families often crowded together in unsanitary, unsafe, and illegal quarters. Such discrimination became increasingly evident in
13860-712: The mid- to late-1960s, one-fifth of Motown records began using session musicians based in Los Angeles, usually covers and tributes of mainstream pop songs and showtunes. By 1970, Motown sessions were increasingly scheduled in Los Angeles instead of Detroit, including all of those for the Jackson 5 's hit recordings. Nevertheless, Motown producers such as Norman Whitfield , Frank Wilson , Marvin Gaye , and Smokey Robinson steadfastly continued to record in Detroit. The Funk Brothers were dismissed in 1972, when Berry Gordy moved
14000-487: The middle of singing "Lonely Teardrops" when he suffered a massive heart attack. On the words "My heart is crying" he collapsed on stage; audience members applauded as they initially thought it was part of the act. Clark sensed something was wrong, then ordered the musicians to stop the music. Cornell Gunter of the Coasters , who was backstage, noticed Wilson was not breathing. Gunter was able to resuscitate him and Wilson
14140-531: The next few years. He turned to drug abuse and continued to drink in an attempt to cope with the loss of his son. More tragedy hit when both of Wilson's daughters died young: Sandra died in 1977 at age 24 of an apparent heart attack, and her older sister Jacqueline was killed in 1988 in a drug-related incident in Highland Park, Michigan . Wilson also fathered many out-of-wedlock children with different women, including singer Bobby Brooks Wilson, who performs his father's songs in tribute. Van Morrison recorded
14280-405: The next hundred years, virtually no British or French action was contemplated without consultation with the Iroquois or consideration of their likely response. On July 24, 1701, the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac , with his lieutenant Alphonse de Tonty and more than a hundred other settlers, began constructing a small fort on the north bank of the Detroit River. Cadillac named
14420-411: The other way, it would have opened the door to fixing nearly all of Detroit's current problems." John Mogk, a professor of law and an expert in urban planning at Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, says, Everybody thinks that it was the riots [in 1967] that caused the white families to leave. Some people were leaving at that time but, really, it was after Milliken that you saw mass flight to
14560-516: The path and are pioneers. I'd like to say Jackie Wilson was a wonderful entertainer. He's not with us anymore, but Jackie, where you are I'd like to say, I love you and thank you so much." In 1985, the Commodores recorded " Nightshift " in memory of Wilson and soul singer Marvin Gaye , who had both died in 1984. Wilson scored a posthumous hit in Europe when "Reet Petite" topped the charts in
14700-687: The peak of his success, he was broke. Around this time the IRS seized Wilson's Detroit family home. Tarnopol and his accountants were supposed to take care of such matters. Wilson made arrangements with the IRS to make restitution on the unpaid taxes; he also re-purchased the family home at auction. Nat Tarnopol had taken advantage of Wilson's naïveté, mismanaging his money since becoming his manager. Tarnopol also had power of attorney over Wilson's finances. Tarnopol and 18 other Brunswick executives were indicted on federal charges of mail fraud and tax evasion stemming from bribery and payola scandals in 1975. Also in
14840-484: The policies of redlining implemented by banks and federal housing groups, which almost completely restricted the ability of blacks to improve their housing and encouraged white people to guard the racial divide that defined their neighborhoods. As a result, black people were often denied bank loans to obtain better housing, and interest rates and rents were unfairly inflated to prevent their moving into white neighborhoods. White residents and political leaders largely opposed
14980-522: The pop charts, ranked No. 1 on the R&;B charts in the U.S., and established Wilson as an R&B superstar known for his extraordinary, operatic multi-octave vocal range. Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA . Wilson's fervor when performing, his dynamic dance moves, impassioned singing, and fashion sense, earned him the nickname "Mr. Excitement",
15120-507: The pop hit "St. Therese of the Roses", giving the Dominoes another brief moment in the spotlight. (Their only other post-McPhatter/Wilson successes were "Stardust", released July 15, 1957, and "Deep Purple", released October 7, 1957. ) In 1957 Wilson began a solo career, left the Dominoes, collaborated with his cousin Levi, and secured performances at Detroit's Flame Show Bar. Later, Al Green secured
15260-604: The rapid growth of industrial workers in the auto factories, labor unions such as the American Federation of Labor and the United Auto Workers (UAW) fought to organize workers to gain them better working conditions and wages. They initiated strikes and other tactics in support of improvements such as the 8-hour day/40-hour work week , increased wages, greater benefits, and improved working conditions . The labor activism during those years increased
15400-494: The region losing the majority of funding for rapid transit. The city then moved forward with construction of the elevated downtown circulator portion of the system, which became known as the Detroit People Mover . The gasoline crises of 1973 and 1979 affected auto industry. Buyers chose smaller, more fuel-efficient cars made by foreign makers as the price of gas rose. Efforts to revive the city were stymied by
15540-417: The restoration of several historic theaters and entertainment venues, high-rise renovations, new sports stadiums, and a riverfront revitalization project. Detroit is an increasingly popular tourist destination which caters to about 16 million visitors per year. In 2015, Detroit was given a name called " City of Design " by UNESCO , the first and only U.S. city to receive that designation. Detroit
15680-583: The session, including the Velvelettes , Carolyn Crawford , Lamont Dozier , Bobby Taylor , Kim Weston , Freda Payne , and George Clinton . In 2008, Ashford and Riser played on Raphael Saadiq 's album The Way I See It , recorded in the style of the Motown Sound. That same year, the Funk Brothers' surviving members recorded Live in Orlando , an album and video. In 2010, surviving members of
15820-470: The settlement Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit , after Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain , Secretary of State of the Navy under Louis XIV . Sainte-Anne-de-Détroit was founded on July 26 and is the second-oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish in the United States. France offered free land to colonists to attract families to Detroit; when it reached a population of 800 in 1765, it became
15960-498: The strict Jim Crow laws and racial discrimination policies of the South. Postwar Detroit was a prosperous industrial center of mass production. The auto industry comprised about 60% of all industry in the city, allowing space for a plethora of separate booming businesses including stove making, brewing, furniture building, oil refineries, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and more. The expansion of jobs created unique opportunities for black Americans, who saw novel high employment rates: there
16100-418: The struggles of the auto industry, as their sales and market share declined. Automakers laid off thousands of employees and closed plants in the city, further eroding the tax base. To counteract this, the city used eminent domain to build two large new auto assembly plants in the city. Young sought to revive the city by seeking to increase investment in the city's declining downtown. The Renaissance Center ,
16240-404: The suburbs, seeking large plots of land for single-story factories. By the 21st century, the metro Detroit area had developed as one of the most sprawling job markets in the United States; combined with poor public transport, this resulted in many new jobs being beyond the reach of urban low-income workers. In 1950, the city held about one-third of the state's population. Over the next 60 years,
16380-434: The suburbs. If the case had gone the other way, it is likely that Detroit would not have experienced the steep decline in its tax base that has occurred since then. In November 1973, the city elected Coleman Young as its first black mayor. After taking office, Young emphasized increasing racial diversity in the police department, which was predominantly white. Young also worked to improve Detroit's transportation system, but
16520-404: The tension between Young and his suburban counterparts over regional matters was problematic throughout his mayoral term. In 1976, the federal government offered $ 600 million (~$ 2.5 billion in 2023) for building a regional rapid transit system, under a single regional authority. But the inability of Detroit and its suburban neighbors to solve conflicts over transit planning resulted in
16660-410: The time he had his heart attack in 1975, he was in a relationship with a woman named Lynn Guidry, who was under the impression that she was his legal wife. Harris was the one who became his court-appointed guardian in 1978. In 1970, Wilson's 16-year-old son Jackie Jr. was shot and killed on a neighbor's porch near their Detroit home. Wilson sank into a period of depression, remaining a near-recluse for
16800-403: The turn of the 19th century, white American settlers began pouring westwards. The region's then colonial economy was based on the lucrative fur trade , in which numerous Native American people had important roles as trappers and traders. Today the flag of Detroit reflects its both its French and English colonial heritage. Descendants of the earliest French and French-Canadian settlers formed
16940-580: The ugliest girl in the audience to come up and kiss me, they'll all think they can have me and keep coming back and buying my records." Wilson was a regular on TV, making regular appearances on such shows as The Ed Sullivan Show , American Bandstand , Shindig! , Shivaree and Hullabaloo . His only movie appearance was in the rock and roll film Go, Johnny, Go! , where he performed his 1959 hit song "You Better Know It". In 1958, Davis and Gordy left Wilson and Brunswick after royalty disputes escalated between them and Nat Tarnopol. Davis soon became
17080-432: The world—carrying over 65 million tons of shipping commerce each year. In the mid-20th century, Detroit entered a state of urban decay which has continued to the present, as a result of industrial restructuring, the loss of jobs in the auto industry, and rapid suburbanization . Since reaching a peak of 1.85 million at the 1950 census , Detroit's population has declined by more than 65 percent. In 2013, Detroit became
17220-429: 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 2010, Wilson's songs "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" and "Lonely Teardrops" were ranked No. 248 and No. 315 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time . In 2014, artist Hozier released
17360-568: Was Davis insisting that he no longer record with Brunswick's musicians in New York; instead, he recorded with 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 the only significant artists left on Brunswick's roster. Wilson had continued to record singles that found success on
17500-1198: Was a "Funk Brother". There are 13 Funk Brothers identified in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown , based on Allan Slutsky 's book of the same name. These 13 members were identified by NARAS for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and were recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2007, the Funk Brothers were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum . Early members included bandleader Joe Hunter and Earl Van Dyke (piano and organ); Clarence Isabell (double bass); James Jamerson (bass guitar and double bass); Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin and Richard "Pistol" Allen (drums); Mike Terry (baritone saxophone); Paul Riser (trombone); Robert White , Eddie Willis , and Joe Messina (guitar); Jack Ashford (tambourine, percussion, vibraphone , marimba ); Jack Brokensha (vibraphone, marimba); and Eddie "Bongo" Brown (percussion). Hunter left in 1964, replaced on keyboards by Johnny Griffith and as bandleader by Van Dyke. Uriel Jones joined
17640-677: Was a 103% increase in the number of blacks employed in postwar Detroit. Black Americans who immigrated to northern industrial cities from the south still faced intense racial discrimination in the employment sector. Racial discrimination kept the workforce and better jobs predominantly white, while many black Detroiters held lower-paying factory jobs. Despite changes in demographics as the city's black population expanded, Detroit's police force, fire department, and other city jobs continued to be held by predominantly white residents. This created an unbalanced racial power dynamic. Unequal opportunities in employment resulted in unequal housing opportunities for
17780-533: Was also a major 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 made appearances riding on the strength of the group's earlier hits, until 1956 when the Dominoes recorded Wilson with an interpretation of
17920-487: Was an American singer who was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul . Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a master showman and one of the most dynamic singers and performers in soul, R&B, and rock and roll history. Born in the Detroit enclave of Highland Park , Michigan, Wilson gained initial fame as a member of the R&B vocal group Billy Ward and His Dominoes . He went solo in 1957 and scored over 50 chart singles spanning
18060-542: Was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer when fans tried to climb on stage in New Orleans. He assaulted a policeman who had shoved one of the fans. In 1964, Wilson jumped from a second-floor window at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis to avoid being arrested after a show. His arrest stemmed from a default of a $ 2,260 civil judgment relating to his failure to appear at the Club Riviera in 1959. He
18200-485: Was caught by the police and jailed for a day before he posted a $ 3,000 bond. In March 1967, Wilson and his drummer, Jimmy Smith, were arrested in South Carolina on "morals charges"; the two were entertaining two 24-year-old white women in their motel room. In 1961, Wilson declared annual earnings of $ 263,000, while the average annual salary at that time was just $ 5,000, but he discovered that, despite being at
18340-483: Was co-written by future Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. (another former boxer who was a native son of Detroit), with partner Roquel "Billy" Davis (using the pseudonym Tyran Carlo) and Gordy's sister Gwendolyn . The trio composed and produced six additional singles for Wilson: "To Be Loved", "I'm Wanderin ' ", "We Have Love", " That's Why (I Love You So) ", " I'll Be Satisfied ", and Wilson's late-1958 signature song, " Lonely Teardrops ", which peaked at No. 7 on
18480-498: Was coined by Father Gabriel Richard as he looked out at the ruins of the city in the fire's aftermath. The city seal, designed by J.O. Lewis in 1827, directly depicts the Great Fire of 1805. Two women stand in the foreground while on the left, the city burns in the background and a woman weeps over the destruction. The woman on the right consoles her by gesturing to a new city that will rise in its place. The city seal also forms
18620-587: Was criticized for being too focused on downtown development and not doing enough to lower the city's high crime rate and improve city services to residents. High unemployment was compounded by middle-class flight to the suburbs, and some residents leaving the state to find work. The result for the city was a higher proportion of poor in its population, reduced tax base, depressed property values, abandoned buildings, abandoned neighborhoods, and high crime rates. On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed near Detroit Metro airport, killing all but one of
18760-721: Was followed, featuring grand boulevards as in Paris . In 1817, Woodward went on to establish the Catholepistemiad , or University of Michigania in the city. Intended to be a centralized system of schools, libraries, and other cultural and scientific institutions for the Michigan Territory, the Catholepistemiad evolved into the modern University of Michigan. Prior to the American Civil War ,
18900-414: Was frustrated with his notorious womanizing. In 1967, Wilson married his second wife, model Harlean Harris (1937–2019), at the urging of Nat Tarnopol, who thought the marriage would help repair Wilson's public image. They had been dating since at least 1960 and their son John Dominick (known as Petey), was born in 1963. Wilson and Harris legally separated in 1969. They never officially divorced, but at
19040-576: Was greatly influenced by the choir at Billups Chapel. Growing up in the suburban Detroit enclave of Highland Park , Wilson joined a gang called the Shakers and often got himself into trouble. His alcoholic father was frequently absent and usually unemployed, and in 1943 the Wilsons separated shortly after Jackie's ninth birthday. Jackie Wilson began singing as a youth, accompanying his mother, an experienced church-choir singer. In his early teens he joined
19180-435: Was serious and that it was not a joke made by a man who had lost a kidney, so would hardly be taking salt tablets. Medical personnel worked to stabilize Wilson's vital signs, but the lack of oxygen to his brain caused him to slip into a coma . He briefly recovered in early 1976, and was even able to take a few wobbly steps, but slipped back into a semi-comatose state. Wilson's friend, fellow singer Bobby Womack , planned
19320-446: Was shot in the stomach; the wound resulted in the loss of a kidney, and the bullet lodged too close to his spine to be removed. In early 1975, during an interview with author Arnold Shaw, Wilson maintained that he was actually shot by a zealous fan he didn't know. "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..." No charges were brought against Jones. In 1960, Wilson
19460-603: Was then informally named. The Funk Brothers often moonlighted for other labels, recording in Detroit and elsewhere, in bids to augment their Motown salaries. It became a worst-kept secret that Jackie Wilson 's 1967 hit " (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher " did not have a Motown influence quite by accident—the Funk Brothers migrated to do the Wilson session, in an interesting reference to Motown's early history: Berry Gordy, Jr got his first music break by getting Wilson to record some of his songs (including " Reet Petite ") in
19600-465: Was then rushed to a nearby hospital. According to Larry Geller , Wilson wanted to sweat profusely during his performances, explaining to Elvis Presley , "The chicks love it." To induce the effect, he would take a handful of salt tablets and drink a large amount of water before going onstage. High salt consumption is known to be a risk factor for heart disease. Among the other witnesses to the first meeting with Elvis, no one ever confirmed that this story
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