Jackie Wilson
(Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)
(Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)
LBC History
As
we celebrated Dr. King's Holiday and the inauguration of President
Obama, iIalso recalled that the great Jackie Wilson died on January 21.
Jackie Wilson was a great influence to Michael Jackson. Barry Gordy of
Motown was a song
writer for Jackie Wilson. I booked Jackie Wilson to perform at a Long
Beach club called, THE LIMIT, which does not exist any more. The club
sold out for two shows. Late that evening, I received a call informing
me that Jackie was very ill and had chronic diarrhea and could not
perform. I pleaded with a woman calling to let me speak to him. I told
Jackie I had two sold out shows in a white club packed with African
Americans and I feared they would tear the club down because many doubted
that Jacikie Wilson was coming to Long Beach. After considerable
negotiation, he agreed to came to the club and personally announce he
was unable to perform. In the meantime, his band was playing and we were
stalling the crowd. When he arrived, two of us, one on each side,
walked him to the side of the stage and signaled the light operator to
put the spot light on Jackie to walk out on the stage. When the spot
light hit him, he kind of jerked and ran out on the stage, did the
splits and performed one of the most incredible shows I have seen in 50
years of the business.
Remembering a great entertainer who self destructed
John Malveaux
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