Huary Perry "U.P." Wilson (September 4, 1934 – September 22, 2004)[1] was an American electric bluesguitarist and singer who performed Texas blues. He recorded five albums for JSP Records, the first being Boogie Boy! The Texas Guitar Tornado Returns! He was known for playing a style of deep Southern soul blues that was gospel inflected.[2]
U.P. Wilson
U.P. Wilson at the Hi Hat Lounge in Fort Worth, Texas. April, 1993.
Wilson was imprisoned in the John R. Lindsey State Jail, in Jacksboro, Texas, for six months in 1967 and 1968 on a conviction of possession of cocaine. Upon his release he moved to Paris, France.[3]
From 1967 onward he raised his family and worked in Fort Worth during the day as a school janitor. At night, Wilson performed as a sideman in local nightclubs.[3] By the late 1970s, Wilson and Ealey played at a Fort Worth club named the New Bluebird, where they attracted crowds of Texas blues fans. By 1987, Wilson had begun solo recording and touring around Texas.[2] However, he rejoined Ealey in his new band, the Lovers, the following year.[3]
The music journalist Tony Russell noted that Wilson put on a show, playing one-handed while drinking, smoking and greeting his fans, but behind the tricks and the hyped language used in his billings ("Texas Tornado", "Atomic Guitar", etc.) Wilson was a musician with a talent for more than just getting boys to boogie down. His peculiar decision to sing in falsetto flawed his 1995 release This Is U.P. Wilson, but subsequent releases led to the rediscovery of his blend of Texas shuffles and low-down blues.[4]
For most of the last decade of his life, Wilson toured the European blues circuit and throughout the United States. Among his activities were appearances at the Chicago Blues Festival and accompanying Albert Collins.
Wilson went to a hospital in Paris for surgery and died there on September 22, 2004, at the age of 70. His wife, Rosie, had died earlier. He was survived by two daughters and a son.[3]
Discographyedit
On My Way (1988), Red Lightnin' (UK); 1999 reissue, Fedora (US)
wilson, huary, perry, wilson, september, 1934, september, 2004, american, electric, blues, guitarist, singer, performed, texas, blues, recorded, five, albums, records, first, being, boogie, texas, guitar, tornado, returns, known, playing, style, deep, southern. Huary Perry U P Wilson September 4 1934 September 22 2004 1 was an American electric blues guitarist and singer who performed Texas blues He recorded five albums for JSP Records the first being Boogie Boy The Texas Guitar Tornado Returns He was known for playing a style of deep Southern soul blues that was gospel inflected 2 U P WilsonU P Wilson at the Hi Hat Lounge in Fort Worth Texas April 1993 Background informationBirth nameHuary Perry WilsonAlso known asTexas Tornado Atomic GuitarBorn 1934 09 04 September 4 1934Catto Parish Shreveport Louisiana United StatesDiedSeptember 22 2004 2004 09 22 aged 70 Paris FranceGenresBluesOccupation s Guitarist singer songwriterInstrument s Guitar vocalsYears active1960s 2004LabelsJSP various Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 3 See also 4 Quotations 5 ReferencesBiography editWilson was born on a farm in Caddo Parish Shreveport Louisiana to Carrie Lee and Tommy Wilson 3 and was raised in West Dallas He learned the blues from ZuZu Bollin Cat Man Fleming Frankie Lee Sims Mercy Baby and Nappy Chin Evans Wilson later relocated from Dallas to Fort Worth and formed a duo the Boogie Chillun Boys with the drummer and vocalist Robert Ealey Later he worked with Cornell Dupree until Dupree left to become a session musician 2 The Boogie Chillun Boys provided inspiration to another Texan singer and guitarist Ray Sharpe 3 Wilson was imprisoned in the John R Lindsey State Jail in Jacksboro Texas for six months in 1967 and 1968 on a conviction of possession of cocaine Upon his release he moved to Paris France 3 From 1967 onward he raised his family and worked in Fort Worth during the day as a school janitor At night Wilson performed as a sideman in local nightclubs 3 By the late 1970s Wilson and Ealey played at a Fort Worth club named the New Bluebird where they attracted crowds of Texas blues fans By 1987 Wilson had begun solo recording and touring around Texas 2 However he rejoined Ealey in his new band the Lovers the following year 3 The music journalist Tony Russell noted that Wilson put on a show playing one handed while drinking smoking and greeting his fans but behind the tricks and the hyped language used in his billings Texas Tornado Atomic Guitar etc Wilson was a musician with a talent for more than just getting boys to boogie down His peculiar decision to sing in falsetto flawed his 1995 release This Is U P Wilson but subsequent releases led to the rediscovery of his blend of Texas shuffles and low down blues 4 For most of the last decade of his life Wilson toured the European blues circuit and throughout the United States Among his activities were appearances at the Chicago Blues Festival and accompanying Albert Collins Wilson went to a hospital in Paris for surgery and died there on September 22 2004 at the age of 70 His wife Rosie had died earlier He was survived by two daughters and a son 3 Discography editOn My Way 1988 Red Lightnin UK 1999 reissue Fedora US Wild Texas Guitar 1989 Double Trouble Belgium U P Wilson with Paul Orta amp the Kingpins 1990 Red Lightnin UK Attack of the Atomic Guitar live album 1992 Red Lightnin UK Boogie Boy The Texas Guitar Tornado Returns 1994 JSP UK Texas Blues Party Vol 1 1995 Wolf Austria This Is U P Wilson 1995 JSP UK Whirlwind 1996 JSP Good Bad Blues 1998 JSP Booting 1999 JSP 5 See also editList of electric blues musicians List of Texas blues musiciansQuotations editIt s tough here in Texas Everywhere you look there s guitar players U P Wilson 4 U P Wilson was my greatest guitar inspiration for real blues Stevie Ray Vaughan 3 References edit Doc Rock 2004 July to December TheDeadRockStarsClub com Retrieved 2014 01 31 a b c Skelly Richard U P Wilson Biography AllMusic com Retrieved 2014 01 31 a b c d e f g 1 Archived July 28 2011 at the Wayback Machine a b Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books pp 191 192 ISBN 1 85868 255 X U P Wilson Discography AllMusic cxom Retrieved 2014 01 31 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title U P Wilson amp oldid 1204824623, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
