Wilson Pickett dead at 64

Sadly, there will be no more comebacks or encores for soul legend Wilson Pickett, who died of a heart attack yesterday in a Virginia hospital. He was 64 years old. Pickett is survived by four children, a fiancé, and a musical legacy that yielded several American standards. “In the Midnight Hour,” “Mustang Sally” and “Land of 1000 Dances” are but three of his many classics.

Born in Alabama in 1941, Pickett moved to Detroit and joined The Falcons by the time he was 21, giving them a Top 10 R&B hit with “I’ve Found a Love.” Pickett composed the song and sang lead. (The Falcons are largely credited with recording the first soul track in 1959 with “You’re So Fine.”) Despite the success, Pickett left the band almost immediately to pursue his solo career. More hits quickly followed.

Pickett signed with Atlantic Records in 1965 and remained with the label until 1972. During that time, he recorded dozens of chart-toppers, many of which were instantly picked up by other bands and swiftly integrated into the world’s musical consciousness. His gruff vocal delivery, backed by punchy horn lines and infectious beats, made Pickett tunes a favorite on the dance floor.

Pickett was a vanguard of soul music—if not its godfather, surely a paternal figure—and he was memorialized in the Reunion song, “Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)” which became a hit for that band in the 1970s. Pickett’s name became synonymous with a greasy, unfiltered form of the genre that was a powerful influence on early rock ’n’ roll.

Although he sometimes struggled for respect among peers and was often overshadowed by artists like James Brown and Otis Reading, it was Pickett who played hero to the soul-music hopefuls in 1991 film The Commitments. The movie sparked a short-lived revival for Pickett, who was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that same year.

Pickett continued to make the news periodically throughout the ’90s, but for less flattering circumstances: He had repeated run-ins with the law and, in 1993, served a year of jail time for drunk driving (his car hit an elderly pedestrian). Three years later, Pickett was charged with cocaine possession.

He continued to tour throughout the decade and released his final album of new material, the aptly titled It’s Harder Now, in 1999. Although it wasn’t his best work, the album — which spawned a second comeback of sorts — was critically praised and indeed, exceeded expectations. It earned him a few WC Handy Awards and even a Grammy nomination.

While Pickett’s post-spotlight dilemmas will likely soon be forgotten, his canon of American standards will live on in popular music. He was a deserving legend.