Today would be "Mr. Excitement" Jackie Wilson's 88th birthday. He died on January 21, 1984, after spending nearly a decade in a coma after collapsing during a performance of "Lonely Teardrops" on stage at the Latin Casino in New Jersey on September 25, 1975. Setting aside his many financial, legal and marital problems, Wilson was one of the most influential artists in R&B and soul music history, influencing other performers such as James Brown, Elvis Presley (who called himself "the white Jackie Wilson"), Smoky Robinson, Van Morrison and many more. Here are two of Wilson's hits, "That's Why (I Love You So)" from 1959, and perhaps his most familiar song, "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," a "comeback" hit from 1967. Hope you enjoy.
