Alan Wilson (musician)
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Alan Wilson | |
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Born | Arlington, Massachusetts, U.S. | July 4, 1943
Died | September 3, 1970 Topanga, California, U.S. | (aged 27)
Resting place | Cremated; ashes scattered in Sequoia National Park |
Other names | Blind Owl, Charles Holloway, Esq |
Education | Boston University |
Occupations |
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Awards |
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Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1960–1970 |
Labels | Liberty Records |
Website | alanwilsoncannedheat |
Signature | |
Alan Christie Wilson (July 4, 1943 – September 3, 1970), nicknamed "Blind Owl", was an American musician, best known as the co-founder, leader, co-lead singer, and primary composer of the blues band Canned Heat. He sang and played harmonica and guitar with the group live and on recordings. Wilson was the lead singer for the group's two biggest U.S. hit singles: "On the Road Again" and "Going Up the Country".
Early years
Alan Christie Wilson was born on July 4, 1943, to John (Jack) Wilson (1914–2000), a bricklayer, and Shirley Bingham (1922–2011), an artist. He grew up in the Boston suburb of Arlington, Massachusetts.[1] He had an older sister Darrell and was of English, Scottish, and German descent. His parents divorced when he was 3 and both later remarried.
Wilson was highly intelligent, setting him apart from his peers. As a result, he was often bullied by his schoolmates. His father Jack enjoyed ham radio operation. Alan became involved as a child but soon turned his interest to music after his stepmother Barbara bought him a jazz record. Some of Wilson's first efforts at performing music publicly came during his teen years when he learned trombone, teaching himself the instrumental parts from the aforementioned jazz record. Later he formed a jazz ensemble with other musically oriented friends from school called Crescent City Hot Five.[2]
Wilson was into traditional
After graduating from
Career
In 1962, Wilson met Harvard student and fellow blues enthusiast David Evans in a record store, and the two began playing as a team around the Cambridge coffeehouse folk-blues circuit, with Evans on vocals and guitar, Wilson on harmonica and occasionally second guitar. The two played a repertoire of mostly classic-era blues covers. Heavily influenced by Skip James, Wilson eventually began singing in a similar way to James' high pitch. In high school, Wilson studied James' 1931 recordings with great ardor. Some of his first singing attempts took place behind a closed bedroom door; and when a family member overheard him, he was embarrassed. Wilson eventually perfected the high tenor for which he would become known.[5]
The early 1960s saw a "rediscovery" of pre-war blues artists by young, white blues enthusiasts, including Mississippi John Hurt, Booker White, Skip James and Son House. In 1964, blues enthusiast Tom Hoskins located John Hurt, who at the time had been working on a local farm in his native Mississippi. Hoskins persuaded Hurt to come north to Cambridge for a gig. Wilson was invited to accompany Hurt on harmonica. Said Hoskins, "He was brilliant."
Son House, considered by Wilson to be one of the greatest singers in blues history, was located in Rochester, New York in 1964, but it was evident that House had forgotten his songs due to his long absence from music. Wilson played House's old recordings from 1930 and 1943 for him and demonstrated them on guitar to revive House's memory.[6] House recorded Father of Folk Blues for Columbia Records in 1965. Two of the selections on the set featured Wilson on harmonica and guitar. In a letter to Jazz Journal published in the September 1965 issue, Son House's manager Dick Waterman remarked the following about wilson and the project:
- "It is a solo album, except for backing on two cuts by a 21-year-old White boy from Cambridge by the name of Al Wilson. Al plays second guitar on "Empire State Express" and harp on "Levee Camp Moan." Al never recorded before, but he has backed John Hurt, Skip James, Sleepy John Estes, Bukka White and many others. He is good, and the record will prove it."[7]
- "Al Wilson taught Son House how to play Son House. I can tell you, flatly, that without Al invigorating and revitalizing Son, there would have been no Son House rediscovery. All of Son's successful concert appearances, recordings and him being remembered as having a great second career—all that was because of Al rejuvenating his music."[8]
Canned Heat
During his time performing in Cambridge, Wilson met the American guitarist John Fahey, the "Father of American Primitive Guitar." With Fahey's encouragement, Wilson moved with Fahey to Los Angeles in 1965 with the aim of having Wilson assist with his UCLA master's thesis on Charley Patton. Because Wilson forgot his glasses during the trip, Fahey gave him the nickname "Blind Owl" owing to his extreme nearsightedness, roundish facial features and scholarly nature.[9] In one instance when he was playing at a wedding, he laid his guitar on the wedding cake because he did not see it. As Canned Heat's drummer Fito de la Parra wrote in his book: "Without the glasses, Alan literally could not recognize the people he played with at two feet, that's how blind the 'Blind Owl' was."[10]
Once in Los Angeles, Fahey released The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death. Wilson provided the liner notes under the pseudonym of "Charles Holloway". In 1966, Wilson recorded a series of traditional Indian ragas on Fahey's Takoma label but was never issued. Four of Wilson's ragas later appeared as the nine-part soundscape "Parthenogenesis" on Canned Heat's third album, Living the Blues. A portion of "Raga Kafi" is performed on the chromatic harmonica. Fahey's 1992 album Old Girlfriends and Other Horrible Memories features more of "Raga Kafi" in "Fear & Loathing at 4th & Butternut," although Wilson was not credited.[11]
In Los Angeles Wilson met fellow blues enthusiast and record collector,
Canned Heat's first year was marked by infrequent gigs and public indifference. Wilson later told Melody Maker, “The first year we were together, we worked for three weeks. We’d get a gig, play three days and get fired … because we refused to be a human jukebox.” [12] After a particularly disastrous engagement the group disbanded in August 1966. During this period, Wilson and Vestine moved on to join the Electric Beavers, an ensemble featuring a full horn section. The band lasted for a short time on a rehearsal basis only. Eventually, Canned Heat re-formed in November 1966. During a gig at the Ash Grove, Canned Heat earned the attention of singer/songwriter Jackie DeShannon, who was married to the head of A&R at Liberty Records, Bud Dain.[13]
The band released their first album, Canned Heat, featuring reworkings of older blues songs for Liberty Records in July 1967. Their first big live performance was at the
Canned Heat's third album included the band's best-known song, also sung by Wilson, "Going Up the Country." The song, an incarnation of Henry Thomas' "Bull-Doze Blues" was rewritten by Wilson and caught the "back to nature" attitude of the late 1960s. The tune was a hit in numerous countries around the world, peaking at number 11 in the US. The "rural hippie anthem" became the unofficial theme song for the
Around this time, Wilson became disillusioned with Canned Heat and considered quitting on several occasions. Upset over Vestine's departure and becoming more averse to touring, Wilson expressed the possibility of still recording but not touring with the band. Wilson arranged to join Vestine's new band Sunn, and Frank Cook's group Pacific Gas and Electric, however both options fell through. Eventually Wilson ended up quitting Canned Heat for about 2 weeks in late 1969, and again shortly before his death in 1970. But each time, he felt guilty and decided to go on tour again. His increasing isolation became obvious, as footage of the band at this time showed Wilson standing apart from his bandmates, and often hiding behind rows of amps.[16]
Canned Heat's fifth album, Future Blues was released in August 1970 and featured the Wilbert Harrison cover of "Let's Work Together." It became their biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 2 on the Singles Chart for 15 weeks. The cover features the band dressed as astronauts on the Moon, mocking the flag raising at Iwo Jima. The upside-down American flag was Wilson's idea in response to the country's social distress at the time, and his concern over the Moon landing a year before. However, retailers like Sears and K-Mart found the cover offensive and refused to stock the album.
In May 1970, Canned Heat teamed up with
On a night off in Britain on June 30, 1970, Wilson went to see his old friend Son House, who was performing at the 100 Club in London. He sat in for “Between Midnight and Day” and “I Want to Go Home on the Morning Train." The show was recorded and originally released as John The Revelator on Liberty in 1970. The session was a concept album with House narrating through his last European performance in a biblical format. It was reissued in 1995 with extensive liner notes by David Evans as Delta Blues and Spirituals on Capitol Records and was posthumously dedicated to Wilson.
The last live footage of Wilson was taken at Canned Heat's performance at the
Wilson appeared with Canned Heat performing "One Kind Favor" during a party scene in the drama The Naked Zoo released in 1971.
Personal life
Wilson suffered from anxiety and depression, rooted in his personal issues and in his despair over the environment. According to some, he had a couple of suicide attempts. Some sources say he never actually said he tried to commit suicide and these were simply assumptions some who knew him made after his death. As a child, Wilson experienced sleep paralysis, but later suffered from insomnia as an adult.[18] To resolve his insomnia, Wilson started using the barbiturates Secobarbital, or "reds" as they were known on the street. He had a nervous habit of pulling and twisting his hair. In the summer of 1969, Wilson was hospitalized for depression. During this time, he wrote the song "Poor Moon," expressing his concern for pollution from the Moon landing that same year. In order to be released, however, Wilson was placed under Bob Hite's care in a legal custody agreement. Wilson was hospitalized again in the spring of 1970, as Canned Heat was scheduled to record an album with John Lee Hooker. Wilson reportedly attempted to drive his car off a freeway in Los Angeles, sustaining an injury to the top of his head.[19] There are conflicting stories of this as some say it was an accident due to his poor eyesight and lack of driving experience. Wilson was permitted to attend recording sessions, but would return to the hospital at the conclusion of each session. His song "Human Condition," reflects an encounter with his psychiatrist at one of his hospital stays. Because Wilson was highly sensitive, introverted and struggled with social situations, some believe he was on the autism spectrum. With his talent and intellect, most dismissed him as brilliant but a little odd, as autism was not well understood at the time. There are no actual diagnoses indicating he was autistic. Others who knew him disagree that he was autistic. Some who knew him also say that he was not introverted but introspective. Despite his success, he was not very successful with women, failing to relate to them or maintain long-term relationships. However, he did have some girlfriends over the years, though these relationships did not last long.[20]
Due to his poor vision, Wilson did not learn how to drive until 1969, when Bob Hite gave him a camper van which doubled as a home. He had no interest in purchasing a home, and whenever Canned Heat was not on tour, Wilson would go camping to Yosemite or Sequoia National Park in his van at every opportunity.[21]
Death
On September 2, 1970, Canned Heat was scheduled to leave for Germany to begin a European tour. Partly due to the inconveniences preventing him from spending time outdoors, Wilson despised touring and travelling by plane. He often missed flights and the band would fly without him while he caught a later flight.
Wilson's death came fourteen months after the death of Brian Jones, just two weeks before the death of Jimi Hendrix, four weeks before the death of Janis Joplin, and ten months before the death of Jim Morrison, four artists who also died at the same age. Wilson was cremated, and on September 13, 1970, a memorial service was held at Menotomy Rocks Park in his hometown of Arlington. The service was led by Reverend Wilbur Canaday who said, "We are using the sky as a roof, and the ground as a floor, because he himself used nature's great wonders as his home."[25] Wilson's ashes were later scattered in Sequoia National Park amongst the redwoods he deeply loved.
Conservationism
Wilson was a passionate
Wilson briefly worked as an ecological consultant for the United States Forest Service in 1969. He was appointed to perform a study on how rising levels of pollution would affect plant life on Earth, and then to determine which species could survive if pollution levels continued to rise at the rates at the time. During his studies, Wilson was even credited as discovering two new species of trees in the Pacific Northwest. When Wilson finished the study, he concluded that nothing could survive.[29]
In order to support his dream, Wilson's family purchased a "grove naming" in his memory through the Save the Redwoods League of California. The money donated to create this memorial would be used by the League to support redwood reforestation, research, education, and land acquisition of both new and old growth redwoods.[30]
Legacy
Wilson is widely remembered as a pioneer of blues-rock during its crucial development period of the 1960s who also promoted the revival of early
Stephen Stills' song "Blues Man" from the album Manassas is dedicated to Wilson, along with Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman.
Equipment
Wilson played a variety of guitars, but his main choice was a 1954
Wilson's mainstay Les Paul Goldtop was not a factory stock model. The stock tuners were replaced sometime prior to Woodstock with modern Grover tuners, as the stock tuning pegs at the time did not keep the instrument in tune as well as later models. In addition, the pick guard and bracket were also removed to provide room for his finger picking style. The model had a stoptail bridge (an adjustable fixed-bridge piece and a separate stopbar or tailpiece) that provided both string support and intonation in one unit. It also featured Gibson
Accolades
- Blues Hall of Fame: Legendary Blues Artist Inductee, July 19, 2013
- The Music Museum of New England Inductee
Discography
- Father of the Delta Blues: The Complete 1965 Sessions, w/ Son House 1965
- The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party & Other Excursions, w/ John Fahey 1966
- Fred Neil w/ Fred Neil 1967, Capitol Records
- Slim's Got His Thing Going On w/ Sunnyland Slim, 1969 World Pacific Records
- John The Revelator: The 1970 London Sessions w/ Son House, 1970, Vequel Records (re-released in 1995 on Capitol Records as Delta Blues and Spirituals)
- Alan Wilson: The Blind Owl, 2013 (2 CD Severn Records)
References
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 9780879307035.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 9780393062588.
- ^ Jazz Journal, published September, 1965"Jazz Journal '". Jazz Journal Limited.
- ^ Davis, Rebecca. "Child is Father to the Man: How Al Wilson Taught Son House how to Play Son House" (PDF). Blues Access. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 0-9676449-0-9.
- ^ Davis, Rebecca (2013). Blind Owl Blues: The Mysterious Life and Death of Blues Legend Alan Wilson. Blind Owl Blues. pp. 62-63. ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9
- ^ Walsh, Alan (September 14, 1968). ""Canned Heat, the Band who Refused to Become a Jukebox and Got Fired"". Melody Maker, NME. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
- ^ "The Legendary Band Canned Heat". Canned Heat Music. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Welding, Pete (June 13, 1968). "Look Back to the Future". Down Beat Magazine. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
- ISBN 0-9676449-0-9.
- ^ Davis, Rebecca (2013). Blind Owl Blues: The Mysterious Life and Death of Blues Legend Alan Wilson. page 225. ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- )
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ^ Bell, Max (October 19, 2018). "Canned Heat: The Badass Blues Band that Death Couldn't Kill". Classic Rock The Home of High Voltage Rock "N' Roll. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "Biography". Alan Wilson Canned Heat. One2One Strategies. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ^ Rolling Stone issue #68, published October 29, 1970
- ^ Grant, Spencer (September 16, 1970). "Requiem for Rock Musician". The Boston Globe: 3. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ^ Bell, Max (October 19, 2018). "Canned Heat: The Badass Blues Band that Death Couldn't Kill". Classic Rock The Home of High Voltage Rock "N' Roll. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ^ "Redwood Dedication". Alan Wilson Canned Heat. One2One Strategies. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ISBN 9780393062588.
- ^ "The Legendary Band Canned Heat Official Biography 2021". Canned Heat Music. Canned Heat. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
- ^ Walters, Bob. "The Blind Owl's Tone". Tune Your Sound. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
Further reading
- Fito De La Parra, Living The Blues. Canned Heat's story of Music, Drugs, Death, Sex and Survival (2000) ISBN 0-9676449-0-9
- Boogie with Canned Heat: The Canned Heat Story, a documentary (on DVD, Eagle Ent., 2007)
External links
- Alan Wilson authorized tribute website
- Alan Wilson at IMDb
- Alan Wilson at AllMusic
- Official Facebook