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by Doug Jones
John “Sly” Wilson
As high school friends in Cleveland, Ohio, John Wilson, Charles Stills, and Madison Saxton decided to form a singing group dubbed, Sly, Slick & Wicked. Immediately noticing their abundance of talent, Stax recording artist Eddie Purrell offered them a recording session. “Stay My Love” caught the attention of Paramount executives and was released as a single in 1971.
Though the song generated tremendous buzz, original member Madison Sexton left the group and was replaced by Terry Stubbs. Upon Stubbs joining the group, a follow-up single “It’s Not Easy” was released and prompted none other than the legendary James Brown to make contact. He offered them a chance to record for People Records, a subsidiary of Paramount that Brown was running at the time, and become part of his First Family of Soul.
Sly, Slick & Wicked’s next single “Sho ‘Nuff”, under the tutelage of Brown and co-producer Eddie Purrell, saw nationwide success to the point of landing them a spot on the iconic TV variety show Soul Train in 1973. In 1974, they moved to Shaker Records owned by powerhouse R & B group The O’Jays.
The single they released at Shaker, “Turn On Your Lovelight” generated enough momentum that Motown came knocking for them to join their roster of superstars. In 1976, they released their full-length album, Sly, Slick & Wicked. Though they toured extensively and had a huge following, they felt stifled at Motown, so they moved to Epic and released “All I Want Is You”.
Throughout the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s, the group still performed, but their careers were mostly behind the scenes. Terry Stubbs produced songs for The O-Jays and John Wilson produced songs for Janet Jackson, Barry White and won the BMI Song of the Year for writing and producing “Suit & Tie for Pop artist Justin Timberlake.
In 2003, Sly, Slick & Wicked received the Men of Motown Award from the Motown Museum and were later inducted into the Motown Alumni Association Hall of Fame. In 2004, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame featured Sly, Slick & Wicked in part of its permanent display. Recently, they were inducted into the R & B Music Hall of Fame.
John Wilson is still writing and producing music. Another passion of John’s includes being a long-standing member of the “Truth in Music Act” committee along with John “Bowzer” Bauman of Sha Na Na and Mary Wilson of the legendary Supremes. He is also an active member of the Doo-Wop Committee.
The Credits for John Wilson seem endless. They include
Year Album Artist
2009 Willie and the Wheel Willie Nelson Design
2006 1948-1949 Benny Goodman Trumpet
2006 Boogieman The Big Heat Vocals
2006 Flamencobsesionarte Teye Photography, Translation
2006 Pictures Tony Rich Saxophone
2006 The Anthology Double Exposure Flugelhorn
2005 Alone Together Gary Williams Producer
2005 Down Beat Pete Aves Fender Rhodes, Musical Direction, Piano, Wurlitzer
2005 Just Yesterday Al Stewart Drums
2005 Lessons in Love Lance Ellington Arranger
2005 Possibilities Herbie Hancock Engineer
2005 Rugolovations Pete Rugolo Celeste, Piano
2005 The Big Guns:
The Very Best of Rory Gallagher Rory Gallagher Drums, Main Personnel
2005 Unite The O.C. Supertones Drums, Member of Attributed Artist, Producer
2004 Chalk Dust Dream
of the Tea Cozy Mitten Company The Flower Machine Drums, Group Member
2004 Con Sabor Tropical Banda Boom Composer
2004 Las #1 en Merengue Merengue All-Stars Composer
2004 Merengue Animal Composer
2004 Moonlight Becomes You The John Wilson Orchestra Liner Note Preparation
2004 Orange/Past, Present
& Future/Modern Times Al Stewart Drums
2004 Revenge of the O.C. Supertones The O.C. Supertones Engineer
2003 50 Sublimes Chanteurs de Jazz: 1940-53 Trumpet
2003 Best of British Blues, Vol. 2 [Hip-O] Drums
2003 Beyond Time Ray Benson Art Direction, Design
2003 Hidden Hits, Vol. 1 Mixing
2003 Hot Harmony Groups 1932-1951: That’s The Rhythm, Vol. 1 Baritone (Vocal)
2003 Las Moviditas de la Raza Composer
2003 Latin Classics [Sony] Composer
2003 Modern Art Tom Russell Quotes Researched & Compiled
2003 Nuestra Historia Exterminador Composer
2003 Stingray Kenny Brown Bass, Guitar
2003 Take Me Back to Tulsa Asleep at the Wheel Art Direction, Cover Design, Design, Illustrations
2003 The Reventon Composer
2003 The Wardell Gray Story Wardell Gray Trumpet
2003 Top of the World Tour:
Live Dixie Chicks Assistant
2003 Urbano Composer
2003 West Coast Worship Rick Muchow Keyboard Programming
2003 X-Treme Chris Armstrong Liner Notes
2003 You Can’t Poison a Pig Pig in a Can Bass, Box, Electronics, Engineer, Fife, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano (Electric), Producer, Sound Creation, Turntables
2002 20 Exitos Projecto Uno Composer
2002 Balling the Jack: Birth of Nu-Blues Arranger, Mixing, Orchestration, Programming
2002 Bon Haven Champ Hood Art Direction, Design
2002 Rumba Hits Composer
2002 Sizing Things Up Bo Square Shortwave Radio
2002 Solo Exitos Hip Hop Composer
2002 The Swing Master Benny Goodman Trumpet
2002 Todo Exitos Proyecto Uno Composer
2001 15 Kilates Musicales Exterminador Composer
2001 Barrio Latino, Vol. 2 Composer
2001 Fabulous Sheena Easton Orchestra Contractor
2001 Goat Tracks: Presented by Kgoat Radio Fiddle
2001 Latin Dancing in the U.S.A. Composer
2001 Pig in a Can Pig in a Can Arranger, Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Guitar,
Mixing, Orchestration, Piano, Producer, Programming
2001 The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel Since 1970
Asleep at the Wheel Art Direction, Cover Design, Design, Illustrations
2000 As You Like It: Shakespeare in Music Composer
2000 Best of Salsa & Merengue Composer
2000 My Private War Phillip Boa Producer
1998 Actual Sounds + Voices Meat Beat Manifesto Guitar
1998 Contenido Norteño Composer
1998 Latin Booty Party Composer
1998 Merengue Dance Mix Composer
1998 Rock the Party Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers Vocals
1998 Y Que Siga la Banda,
Vol. 4 Banda Boom Composer
1997 Eric Coates: Under the Stars – 17 Orchestral Miniatures BBC Concert Orchestra Conductor
1997 Para Amanecer Bailando [WEA International] Composer
1997 Zeta Brew Jeff & Jane Unknown Contributor Role
1996 Banda Boom, Vol. 4 Banda Boom Composer
1996 Get Up & Dance, Vol. 10 Composer
1996 Hasta La Vista, Vol. 2: More Latino Rhythms Composer
1996 Musick for Severall Friends Newberry Consort Composer
1996 Power Mix Latino Composer
1996 Puro Reventon, Vol. 2 Composer
1996 Trendance, Vol. 2 Composer
1996 US Dance Party, Vol. 5 Composer
1995 Los Merengazos del Año, Vol. 12 Composer
1992 Antone’s Women: Bringing You the Best in Blues Cover Illustration
1988 Live from Studio A
in New York City Johnny Frigo Liner Notes
1988 Wall of Pride Omar & the Howlers Art Direction, Design
197? Gimme Your Hand JB! Composer
197? Nothing But Funk, Vol. 2 Composer
1978 Love on the Rebound The Dodgers Bass, Guitar, Vocals
1974 Ten Wheel Drive Ten Wheel Drive Remixing
1972 Bloodrock U.S.A. Bloodrock Engineer
1972 Fillmore: The Last Days Mixing
1972 One Foot in History Nitzinger Engineer
1970 Cochise Cochise Drums, Percussion, Personnel, Vocals
1970 On the Boards Taste Drums
1969 Taste Taste Drums
1958 Jazz Concerto Grosso Phil Sunkel Flugelhorn, Trumpet
1956 Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes,
Vol. 3: The Trio Hampton Hawes Liner Notes
1955 Seventh Heaven
[Original Broadway Cast Album] Original Broadway Cast Stage Production
Latin Party, Vol. 2 Composer
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