Ricky Wilson (American musician)

Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985) was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock band the B-52's. Born in Athens, Georgia, Wilson was the brother of fellow member Cindy Wilson. The B-52's was founded in 1977, when Ricky, his sister Cindy, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland and Fred Schneider shared a tropical Flaming Volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant and, after an impromptu music session at the home of their friend Owen Scott III, played for the first time at a Valentine's Day party for friends.

On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died from complications related to AIDS following the recording of the band's fourth studio album Bouncing off the Satellites. According to Keith Strickland, the album had been completed and mixed before Ricky's death, with only the cover art not yet designed (an illustration by Kenny Scharf was ultimately decided upon). Devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album, although did several photo shoots and TV appearances, as well as filming a video for "Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland".

In addition to his work with The B-52's, Wilson played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album in 1979. This was his only non-B-52's appearance on record. He also appeared in various films, namely One Trick Pony. Posthumously he also appeared in Athens, GA: Inside/Out, The B-52's 1979-1989, and The B-52's Time Capsule: Videos for a Future Generation 1979-1998 through archival footage.

Childhood
Wilson was born on March 19, 1953 to Bobby Jack Wilson, a fireman and a veteran of the United States Army, and Linda J. Wilson (née Mairholtz), in Athens, Georgia. At an early age, Wilson developed an interest in music, and learned how to play folk guitar from the PBS series Learning Folk Guitar. Upon entering Clarke Central High School, Wilson had upgraded to a Silvertone guitar and, to tape his music, purchased a two-track tape recorder with money earned from a summer job at the local landfill.

In mid-1969, Wilson met former Comer resident Keith Strickland at the local head shop The Looking Glass. The two shared common interests in music and Eastern mysticist culture, and quickly became friends.

Wilson quietly came out as gay to Strickland whilst the two were in their teens, becoming the first member of the band to do so.

1970–1976: Black Narcissus
During mid-1969, both Wilson and Strickland collaborated in writing and performing music, loosely calling themselves Loon, and aspired to perform live.

From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Pete Love of Louisville and Athens native Owen Scott, III in performing together as the four-member band Black Narcissus.

Upon graduation from the University of Georgia in 1976, Wilson kept in touch with Strickland and they toured Europe, eventually returning and taking jobs at the Southeastern Stages bus station in Athens, Georgia where Strickland's father was manager.

1976–1985: The B-52's
In late 1976, Strickland and Wilson returned to Athens in search of further employment. The two joined the B-52's when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, and Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider of local protest band The Sun-Donuts, formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical Flaming Volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant. They played their first concert in 1977 at a Valentine's Day party for friends. The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of their era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.

Wilson cited various children's records, The Mamas & The Papas, and Esquerita and the Voola as sources of inspiration in his musical career. Wilson also played the guitar on the song "Breakin' In My Heart" on Tom Verlaine's self-titled debut album.

Illness and death
In 1983, during recording sessions for the band's third studio album Whammy!, Wilson discovered he had contracted AIDS. He confided his illness to Keith Strickland, as stated in several interviews including one with The Age. In 1985, during recording for their album Bouncing off the Satellites, Wilson's illness became more severe; both Strickland and Pierson have stated that despite this, he kept his illness secret from the other members of the band. In an interview, Pierson stated that Wilson did so because he "did not want anyone to worry about him or fuss about him."

On October 12, 1985, in the Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, Wilson finally succumbed to the illness, at the age of 32. He was later buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens. Devastated, the band did little promotional work and did not tour to promote the album. The epitaph on Wilson's tombstone reads: "The breeze of grace is always blowing; set your sail to catch that breeze."

In an interview with The Age, Wilson's sister Cindy was described as being the "hardest hit" by his death.

Strickland and Wilson were very close friends. Soon after Wilson's death, Strickland, who had previously been the band's drummer, moved to play guitar in place of Wilson.