Ricky Wilson

Who was Ricky Wilson?

Ricky Helton Wilson 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 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. 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.