Wilson Pickett

Known as a major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded some of the most well-known and respected songs in the genre. His ground-breaking repertoire includes over 50 songs that made the U.S. R&B charts, many crossing over to the Billboard Hot 100. His impact in soul music can be heard throughout his music catalog which include hits like “In The Midnight Hour,” “Mustang Sally,” “Land of a Thousand Dances,” and more.

After initial success with the release of 1963’s “It’s Too Late”, also the name of Pickett’s debut album as a solo artist, the singer moved to Atlantic Records where he would release some of his biggest hits including his third single for the label, “In The Midnight Hour.” The song was released as a single in 1965 and shot to number one on the R&B charts, while also soaring to 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would go on to sell more than a million copies and would receive a Grammy nomination for “Best Rhythm & Blues Recording”. In 1988, his rerecord was nominated for “Male R&B Vocal Performance.” The song has since been included on a number of “best of” lists including Rolling Stone’s ”500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, as well as being inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2017.

Pickett’s next major hit would be his version of “Mustang Sally”. Released in 1966, the song hit number six on the R&B charts and shot to number 23 on the Hot 100. Wilson’s recording of the song is thought of as the most well-known and popular rendition of “Mustang Sally” and, in 2000, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 1966 also saw the release of “Land of a Thousand Dances” – another recording that is considered to be the best-known version of a track. The single became his third number one and his biggest pop hit ever, selling over a million copies. “Land of a Thousand Dances” saw new life two decades later when Pickett rerecorded it for the soundtrack of the 1988 Dan Aykroyd and John Candy film The Great Outdoors.

Over the course of his nearly five-decade long career, the five-time Grammy nominee was continually honored for his contributions to music which also includes songs he wrote for Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Booker T. & The MGs, Genesis, Los Lobos, Bruce Springsteen and more. In addition to his nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, he was also honored with a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1993, inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005, and in 2024 was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame.

Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack on January 19, 2006, at 64 years of age.