Ricky Wilson

At 32 years old, Ricky Wilson physical status not available right now. We will update Ricky Wilson's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985) was an American singer best known as the original guitarist and founding member of the B-52's.

Wilson, a native of Athens, Georgia, was the brother of fellow citizen Cindy Wilson.

The B-52's were established in 1976, when Ricky, his sister Cindy, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, and Fred Schneider introduced a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant, and after an impromptu music performance at the home of their friend, Owen Scott III, played for the first time at a Valentine's Day party for friends.

Wilson's unusual guitar tunings contributed to the band's esthetic sound on October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died of AIDS complications related to the band's fourth studio album Bouncing Off the Satellites.

The album had been finished and mixed before Wilson's death, but not the front art had been created (an illustration by Kenny Scharf was eventually agreed upon).

After being devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album, although they did numerous photo shoots and TV appearances, as well as filming a video for "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland." Wilson appeared on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album in 1979, in comparison to his B-52 appearances.

This was his first non-B-52's appearance on record.

He has appeared in several films, most notably One Trick Pony.

He appeared in Athens, GA, 1979–1989. The B-52's Inside/Out, 1978-1989, and Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979-1998 through archival video.

Early life

Wilson was born in Athens, Georgia, on March 19, 1953, to Bobby Jack Wilson, a fireman and a soldier of the United States Army, and Linda J. Wilson. He was Cindy Wilson's elder brother. Wilson discovered an interest in music early in life and learned how to play folk guitar from the NET series Learning Folk Guitar. Wilson had upgraded to a Silvertone guitar and, eventually, tape his music, buying a two-track tape recorder at the local landfill when entering Clarke Central High School.

Wilson met former Comer resident Keith Strickland at the local head shop The Looking Glass in mid-1969. The two had common interests in music and Eastern mystic culture, and they quickly became friends.

Wilson came out as gay in Strickland when the two teenagers were in their teens, becoming the first member of the band to do so.

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Musical career

During mid-1969, both Wilson and Strickland collaborated in writing and performing music, loosely calling themselves Loon, and aspired to perform live.

From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Pete Love of Louisville and Athens native Owen Scott, III in performing together as the four-member band Black Narcissus.

Upon graduation from the University of Georgia in 1976, Wilson kept in touch with Strickland and they toured Europe, eventually returning and taking jobs at the Southeastern Stages bus station in Athens, Georgia where Strickland's father was the manager.

In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment. The two joined the B-52's when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider of local protest band the Sun-Donuts, formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant. They played their first concert in 1977 at a Valentine's Day party for friends. The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of their era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.

Wilson cited various children's records, the Mamas & the Papas, and Esquerita and the Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career. Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album.

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