Ruby Wilson: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{short description|American blues and gospel singer (1948–2016)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}}

{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->

| name = Ruby Wilson

| image = Ms. Ruby Wilson Performs at Shiloh (cropped).jpg

| background = solo_singer

| caption = Wilson performing in 2016

| image =

| captionbirth_name = =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|2|29|mf=yes}}<ref>{{Citecite web|url=http://www.realtimesmedia.com/index.php/memphis/75234-if-ruby-wilson-was-in-the-house-you-knew-it|title=If Ruby Wilson was in the house, you knew it!|website=Real Times Media|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>▼

| birth_name =

| birth_place = [[Fort Worth, Texas]], U.S.▼

▲| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|2|29|mf=yes}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.realtimesmedia.com/index.php/memphis/75234-if-ruby-wilson-was-in-the-house-you-knew-it|title=If Ruby Wilson was in the house, you knew it!|website=Real Times Media|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>

| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|8|12|1948|2|29|mf=yes}}▼

▲| birth_place = [[Fort Worth, Texas]], U.S.

| death_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.▼

▲| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|8|12|1948|2|29|mf=yes}}

| genre = {{flatlist|▼

▲| death_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.

▲| genre = {{flatlist|

*[[Blues]]

*[[jazzgospel music|gospel]]

*[[gospel]]

}}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

*Singer

*actress

}}

| instrument = {{flatlist|

*Vocals<!--- If you think an instrument should be listed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first --->

}}

| years_active = 1963–2016

| label = {{flatlist|

*[[Malaco Records]]

}}

| associated_acts =

| website =

|notable_instruments =

}}

'''Ruby Wilson''' (February 29, 1948 – August 12, 2016) was an American [[blues]] and [[gospel music|gospel]] singer and actress. She was known as "The Queen of [[Beale Street]]" as she sang in clubs on Beale Street, [[Memphis, Tennessee]], for over 40 years. She also had a successful touring and recording career, and appeared in a number of films.<ref name=":0">{{Citecite web|url=http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/32733731/queen-of-beale-ruby-wilson-dies-at-68|title='Queen of Beale' Ruby Wilson dies at 68|last=Broach|first=Andrew Douglas, Janice|website=Wmcactionnews5.com|date=August 11, 2016 |access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>

== Early life ==

Wilson was born in [[Fort Worth, Texas]], United States, the youngest in a family of six children. Her mother was a maid, her father was self-employed, and Wilson grew up picking and chopping cotton - work she later described as hot and unpleasant.<ref name=":1">{{Citecite web|url=http://www.memphisbluessociety.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=539640&module_id=189674|title=Ms. Ruby Wilson - Memphis Blues Society|website=www.memphisbluessocietyMemphisbluessociety.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>

Wilson's upbringing was filled with music, from two quite different sources - her mother, a deeply religious woman, only allowed her children to listen to [[gospel music]], as she believed that all other music was "the devil's music". Wilson's mother was the choir director at their family church, and when she was 7 years old Wilson began singing in her mother's choir. On the other hand, Wilson's father loved [[blues]] and Wilson listened with him to blues musicians, which had a strong influence on her future career.<ref name=":1" />

Wilson met [[B.B. King]] for the first time when she was 14; King offered to be her godfather, and the two became close.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Citecite web|url=http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/ruby-wilson-41|title=Ruby Wilson {{!}} The HistoryMakers|website=www.thehistorymakersThehistorymakers.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref> When she was 15 years old, singer [[Shirley Caesar]] heard Wilson singing at church and invited her to tour with her as a backing singer.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="ca" /> The following year, Wilson moved to [[Chicago]], where she became a church choir director and sang gospel. She later returned to Texas and started singing jazz.<ref name=":1" />

== Career ==

Wilson moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1972, and started working as a kindergarten teacher in the Memphis City School system.<ref name=":1" /> She also began performing regularly in clubs on Beale Street, including The Peabody, Club Handy and Club Royale, with musicians such as [[Ray Charles]], [[Isaac Hayes]], and [[Thethe Four Tops]].<ref name=":2">{{Citecite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/ruby-wilson-the-queen-of-beale-street-dies-in-memphis/2016/08/12/c2934b14-60cf-11e6-84c1-6d27287896b5_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829015120/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/ruby-wilson-the-queen-of-beale-street-dies-in-memphis/2016/08/12/c2934b14-60cf-11e6-84c1-6d27287896b5_story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 29, 2016|title=Ruby Wilson, ‘The'The Queen of Beale Street,’' dies in Memphis|last=Press|first=Associated|date=August 12, 2016|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref> When B.B. King opened his B.B. King's Blues Club, she was given a weekly residency there, and when he later opened a restaurant, Itta Bena, she also became a regular performer there.<ref name=":3">{{Citecite web|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/08/12/ruby-wilson-queen-beale-street-dies-68/88636222/|title=Ruby Wilson, ‘Queen'Queen of Beale Street,’' dies at 68|website=Tennessean.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>

As Wilson's career developed, she toured the United States and internationally, and performed at blues and jazz festivals in Europe, Asia and New Zealand.<ref name="ca" /><ref name=":2" /> She performed at the [[New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival]], and for President Clinton and Vice-President Gore, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his son Prince Albert.<ref name=":1" /> Wilson also performed on cruise ships and river cruises, and at parties and corporate events. Some of the bands which she performed with were the Hot Cotton Jazz Band,  Buck Bubbles Express, The the Unknown Band, Thethe King Beez,  B. B. King All Stars,  Ms. Ruby’s Band  and  the Detroit People’s Band.<ref name=":1" />

In the 1980s, Wilson spent some years living in Los Angeles and performed with [[Joan Rivers]] and [[Sharon Gless]].<ref name=":1" />

In 1976 she was offered her first record contract, with [[Malaco Records]].<ref name=":1" /> Her first album, ''Ruby Wilson'', was released by Malaco in 1981, and she released a further nine albums in her career. Two, ''Cake Walking Babies'' (1988) and ''Outstanding In Their Field'' (1989) were recorded with the Hot Cotton Jazz Band.<ref>[{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/686173-Ruby-Wilson |title=Ruby Wilson Discography, ''|website=Discogs.com'']. Retrieved August 13,|date=2016-08-12 |access-date=2016-08-17}}</ref>

=== Film appearances ===▼

Wilson appeared in several films, including ''[[The People vs. Larry Flynt]]'' (1996), ''[[The Chamber (film)|The Chamber]]'' (1996), ''[[Cookie's Fortune]]'' (1999) and [[Black Snake Moan (film)|''Black Snake Moan'']] (2006) as well as in television commercials.<ref name="ca">{{Cite web|url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/obituaries/ruby-wilson-queen-of-beale-street-dies-at-68-39d1d8af-417e-4649-e053-0100007f74e4-390012081.html|title=Ruby Wilson, ‘Queen of Beale Street,’ dies at 68|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="nyt">[http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/13/arts/music/ruby-wilson-dead.html?_r=0 "Ruby Wilson, Singer Known as Queen of Beale Street, Dies at 68", ''NYTimes.com'', 12 August 2016]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934083/bio|title=Ruby Wilson|website=IMDb|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>▼

▲=== Film appearances ===

== Recognition and honors ==▼

▲Wilson appeared in several films, including ''[[The People vs. Larry Flynt]]'' (1996), ''[[The Chamber (1996 film)|The Chamber]]'' (1996), ''[[Cookie's Fortune]]'' (1999) and [[Black Snake Moan (film)|''Black Snake Moan'']] (2006) as well as in television commercials.<ref name="ca">{{Citecite web|url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/obituaries/ruby-wilson-queen-of-beale-street-dies-at-68-39d1d8af-417e-4649-e053-0100007f74e4-390012081.html|title=Ruby Wilson, ‘Queen'Queen of Beale Street,’' dies at 68|website=Commercialappeal.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="nyt">[http{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/13/arts/music/ruby-wilson-dead.html?_r=0 "|title=Ruby Wilson, Singer Known as Queen of Beale Street, Dies at 68",|newspaper=[[The ''NYTimes.com'',New York Times]]|access-date=12 August 2016]}}</ref><ref>{{Citecite web|url=httphttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0934083/bio|title=Ruby Wilson|website=IMDb.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>

▲== Recognition and honors ==

In 1992, after 20 years of singing in Beale Street clubs, local TV station [[WMC-TV]] gave her the title "Queen Ambassador of Beale Street"; two years later this was amended to "The Queen of Beale Street".<ref name=":1" />

In 2006, Wilson received the Memphis Sound Award for Best Entertainer;<ref>{{Citecite web|url=https://www.sonicbids.com/band/rubywilson/|title=About Ruby Wilson|website=Sonicbids.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref> in 2010, she was inducted into the Black Business Directory's African-American Hall of Fame.<ref name=":3" />

In 2012, Wilson was offered space to exhibit items from her career, and later that year the Ruby Wilson Museum was opened. It displays memorabilia including awards, outfits and photographs.<ref name=":1" /> In 2013, Wilson received a W.C. Handy Heritage Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref name=":1" />

The Beale Street Walk of Fame includes a brass note recognising Wilson's contribution to the street's music.<ref>{{Citecite web|url=http://historic-memphis.com/memphis-historic/beale/bealestreet.html|title=Historic Memphis Beale Street and The Blues|website=historicHistoric-memphis.com|access-date=August 13, 2016}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

Wilson was married four times. Her first husband was a gospel entertainer from Chicago. Her secondfourth husband was B.B. King's road manager.<ref name=":1" />

=== Later years and death ===

Wilson suffered a [[stroke]] in 2009, and was unable to speak for four months. She received speech therapy and physical therapy and eventually maderecovered aenough full recovery, andto returnedreturn to acting and singing.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> She suffered a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] in 2016, and after several days in a coma died on August 12, aged 68.<ref name=":0" />

She was survived by four children, twelve grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.<ref name="ca" /><ref name=":3" />

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==

* {{Discogs artist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Ruby}}

[[Category:1948 births]]

[[Category:2016 deaths]]

[[Category:African20th-Americancentury femaleAmerican singers]]

[[Category:21st-century American singers]]

[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]

[[Category:American blues singers]]

[[Category:American gospel singers]]

[[Category:PeopleMusicians from Fort Worth, Texas]]

[[Category:Singers from Texas]]

[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]

[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]

[[Category:Malaco Records artists]]

[[Category:21st-century African-American women singers]]