Friday, January 25, 2013

John Malveaux: The Late Jackie Wilson 'Remembering a great entertainer who self destructed'

Jackie Wilson
(Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

John Malveaux of www.MusicUNTOLD.com writes:


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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