Mick Hartley

Short but oh so sweet – Jackie Wilson shows his gospel roots:

Previously:

A glorious voice, and a great dancer. It's quite a legacy: probably the major influence on both James Brown and Michael Jackson. Maybe Elvis as well, though Wilson was refreshingly honest about the influence sometimes going the other way: "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.” A tragic end – a heart attack on stage in 1975, at the age of only 41, followed by nine years in a coma before dying in 1984 – by which time he was largely forgotten.

With a later generation of black performers converting to Islam, it's interesting that Jackie Wilson was, according to his Wiki entry, a convert to Judaism.

Also:

Reet Petite, the original, and a great version by South Londoner Si Cranstoun.

Lonely Teardrops, on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

Higher and Higher, in colour, plus an interesting remix. And Si Cranstoun again, live from Bromley.