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Chris Wilson
Foto: Mandy Hall (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0) — East Brunswick Social Club, Melbourne, 2008
Contemporary Blues

Chris Wilson

This artist is no longer with us.
Born: 24 January 1956, Alphington, Victoria, Australia · Died: 16 January 2019, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (pancreatic cancer)• Australia• Active: 1984–2019
Contemporary BluesBlues RockSoul Blues

Melbourne blues singer, harmonica and saxophone player (1956-2019), a fixture of the Australian blues-rock scene from Sole Twisters and Crown of Thorns to a celebrated solo career.

Instruments
Vocals, Harmonica, Saxophone, Guitar
Labels
Aurora Records, Mushroom Records, Forge
from
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Born
24 January 1956, Alphington, Victoria, Australia
NOTE: Chris Wilson (24 January 1956 - 16 January 2019) passed away from pancreatic cancer, aged 62, less than two years before this profile was written. All performance/career details below describe his historical activity, not an ongoing act. Born Christopher John Wilson in Alphington, Victoria, he taught English at Melbourne secondary schools for around two decades alongside a parallel career as a singer, harmonica and saxophone player (Source: Wikipedia). He joined the R&B band Sole Twisters in 1984, then the neo-blues group Harem Scarem in 1985, and briefly played with Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls and guested with Hunters & Collectors (Source: Wikipedia). In 1987 he formed Crown of Thorns with Barry Palmer, releasing the EP "Gnawing on the Bones of Elvis" (1988) and the albums "Carnival" (1989) and "Babylon" (1990), before launching a long solo career with "Landlocked" (1992) — which earned him the first of three ARIA Award nominations for Best Male Artist (1993, 1995, 1998) (Source: Wikipedia). His Wilson Diesel project with Johnny Diesel produced the ARIA top-20 hit "Short Cool Ones" (1996), and 2000's "Spiderman" was voted Best Australian Blues Album in a Rhythms Magazine readers' poll (Source: Wikipedia). He also played harmonica on three tracks of Crowded House's 1991 album "Woodface" and recorded "Box Of Blues" (2012) with fellow Australian guitarist Geoff Achison (Source: Wikipedia). His final, self-titled album was released in 2018, the year he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Following his death in January 2019, Blues Music Victoria posthumously honored him as a Victorian Blues Legend, and Music Victoria followed with recognition in 2020 (Source: Wikipedia).

Musical Influence

Chris Wilson's harmonica and saxophone work, and his gravel-voiced solo records, made him one of the most respected figures in Melbourne's blues-rock scene — a status confirmed by his posthumous induction as a Victorian Blues Legend, and by his frequent collaborations with major Australian acts from Crowded House to Geoff Achison (Source: Wikipedia).

Formative experiences

  • •1984: Joined R&B band Sole Twisters (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1985: Joined neo-blues group Harem Scarem (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1987: Formed Crown of Thorns with Barry Palmer (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1992: Released debut solo album "Landlocked," first ARIA nomination (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •1996: The Wilson Diesel project with Johnny Diesel produced the hit "Short Cool Ones" (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •2012: Released "Box Of Blues" with Geoff Achison (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •2018: Released his final, self-titled album; diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (Source: Wikipedia).
  • •16 January 2019: Died of pancreatic cancer, aged 62 (Source: Wikipedia).

Collaborators

Geoff Achison

Collaborative album "Box Of Blues" (2012).

Johnny Diesel

Wilson Diesel project, hit "Short Cool Ones" (1996).

Crowded House

Played harmonica on three tracks of "Woodface" (1991).

Paul Kelly

Brief stint with Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls.

Barry Palmer

Co-founder of Crown of Thorns.

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Press & quotes

"one of the finest renditions ever committed to record"
Ian McFarlane · Author — on the cover of "Born Under a Bad Sign"
"one of the most successful blues albums in Australian history"
Paul Petran · Presenter · 1996 — Radio National, Live on Stage
"a privileged few will remember for an age…sings and plays harp with such venom"
Laurie White · Music critic · 1994 — on the Continental Hotel show

Discography

YearTitleProducerStudioLabelChartSalesMusiciansYouTubeNotes
1992Landlocked——Aurora———Debut solo album. Source: Wikipedia.
1996Short Cool Ones——Mushroom#18 ARIA——As Wilson Diesel with Johnny Diesel. Source: Wikipedia.
1998The Long Weekend——Aurora/Mushroom———Source: Wikipedia.
2000Spiderman——————Voted Best Australian Blues Album by Rhythms Magazine readers. Source: Wikipedia.
2002King for a Day——Forge———Source: Wikipedia.
2012Flying Fish——————Source: Wikipedia.
2012Box Of Blues——————Collaboration with Geoff Achison. Source: Wikipedia.
2018Chris Wilson——————Final, self-titled album. Source: Wikipedia.

Awards & Recognition

2019
Blues Music Victoria
Posthumously named Victorian Blues Legend (People's Choice)
2020
Music Victoria Award
Recognition
2000
Rhythms Magazine readers' poll
Best Australian Blues Album, for "Spiderman"

Sources

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