Smooth soul singer Al Wilson made his mark when he climbed to the top of the charts with the Number 1 single “Show and Tell” in 1973. Born June 19, 1939 in Meridian, Mississippi, Wilson toured with a number of vocal groups in the 1960s, including the Jewels, the Rollers, and the Souls. He earned the chance to make it on his own when he impressed Johnny Rivers, who signed him to his Soul City label and produced his first solo sessions, which resulted in the hit single “The Snake” in 1968.
Subsequent singles came and went without much fanfare until 1973, when Wilson released Weighing In. The album featured “Show and Tell”, originally released by Johnny Mathis the previous year, but Wilson took his version to Number 1, and the song would remain his signature tune as he continued to tour and record into the 2000s. He died of kidney failure on April 21, 2008.
