RIP Wicked Pickett

I've been extraordinarily busy with work lately and my posting has dropped considerably. For those of you who know me, my passion for music may be greater that my love of sport. As I drove home from work the other evening, the DJ on the radio told his audience of how Wilson Pickett had died of a heart attack the previous week on January 19.

Pickett was most noted for his superb "Mustang Sally" and "In the Midnight Hour" but his career was so much more than that. I had the good fortune to see him perform on May 4, 2001 at the 2001 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival where he was the second to last performance on the Acura stage. My friends and I were greatly intrigued by the addition of the soul legend to set the stage for Paul Simon to close the day. While he certainly obliged the audience by performing his hits, I most remember how eloquent his old voice still sounded after all these years. Truly one of the highlights of Jazzfest experiences.

I am somewhat concerned about the next generation of soul artists. We've lost a lot of our old school R&B and Motown singers and I don't see their legacies being carried in today's youth. There are exceptions of course but I can't help but think that we're losing a terrific genre of music.

God be with you Wilson and thank you for all the wonderful memories you've left with us.

Some great reads from Rolling Stone, Billboard, and BBC.