Hello,  Jackie Wilson could not only sing but he could move on the stage like no one else.  His moves were classic, probably stemming from his days as an amateur boxer.  Jackie charted 62 records on the Billboard Pop charts alone between 1957 and 1972.  He had 6 #1 hit records on the Billboard R&B chart.

His biggest pop record came in 1967, when “HIGHER AND HIGHER” made its Hot 100 debut.  The single record climbed the chart and reached #6.  The record remained on the Hot 100 for 12 weeks.  “Higher And Higher” crossed over to the R&B chart and went all the way to #1 becoming Jackie’s sixth and final #1 R&B hit.  The backing track was recorded on July 6, 1967 at Columbia studios in Chicago.  The record made its chart debut on August 12, 1967.  Jackie cut the vocal track for “Higher And Higher” in one take.

In the UK, the record became a #11 hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1969 and again in 1987, at #3.  An album titled “Higher And Higher” was released in November of 1967, it peaked at #163 on the Pop chart and #28 on the R&B chart.  The single record has been said to have sold as high as 4 million copies.

“Higher And Higher” has won a Hall of Fame, Grammy Award in 1999.  It is listed at #246 on the Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the songs that helped shape rock and roll.  Joel Whitburn has it listed at #75 in his Honor Roll of Hits, in his Top Pop Singles, Record Research Book, 1955-2008.

To just say that it was another big hit for Jackie Wilson would not be enough.  It was a giant hit, one that is still played everyday on oldies radio.  Jackie Wilson is gone, but his music is a wonderful legacy left by a man who took us “higher and higher” with his songs.

Till the next time—Joe