Wilson, Bill
| Born March 14, 1947 in Lebanon, Indiana. Died November 25, 1993 in Indianapolis, Indiana. | |
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| Hometown: Lebanon | |
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Bill Wilson grew up in Brownsburg; in 1966 he enlisted in the Air Force, served in Vietnam and was discharged in Austin, Texas in 1970. While in Austin, he signed with local Sonobeat Records, recording an LP which was used to market his songwriting; only 100 copies were pressed. Some of these songs would appear in fully produced form on later albums.
He provided vocals for Herman Nelson’s songwriting demo LP released by Sonobeat in minute quantities, and added vocals to a few songs on legendary Texas blues-psych band Mariani’s Sonobeat LP. He joined Indianapolis band Pleasant Street upon moving back to Indiana, but their LP, also recorded at Sonobeat, was not released and he left the band.
He relocated to Bloomington and was signed to Columbia Records, which released his best-known album, 1973’s Ever Changing Minstrel; it was reissued on CD by Tompkins Square in 2012. Following that, he issued two LP’s on local labels BRBQ Records and Redbud Records. His final release was Traction In The Rain, self released on CD in 1992. Wilson performed live on a regular basis, appearing at many central Indiana clubs, including The Hummingbird, The Patio, The Vogue, The Bluebird, Crazy Al’s, The Red Dog Saloon and others.
A number of his songs are well remembered, including “Made in the USA”, “Soldiers Song”, “Indiana Song” and a significant contribution to Dire Strait’s hit “Sultans of Swing” although he was not given co-writers credit. He later told an audience he bought a truck with the money he made off the song after it became a hit.
Wilson felt deeply about his Vietnam experience and reached out to other vets especially those traumatized by the war. His “Soldiers Song” is about vets coming home “on a day the band forgot to play.”
From the 70s through the early 90s, Bill Wilson was considered by many to be Indiana’s finest singer-songwriter. |
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| Related Artists: Pleasant Street, Mariani, Herman Nelson, Dire Straits | |
| Years Active: 1969 – 1993 | |
| Discography | |
| Website | |
| YouTube | |
| Sonobeat Records | |
| Stringdancer |
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I met Bill in 1977. His younger brother, Kevin (I hope I remember that correctly), arranged for Bill to play a concert at Western Boone High School. I was the student director of the choir and Bill played a show to benefit the choir department. There were kids from every where in the county and a few folks from Indianapolis as well. When Bill got to the school, our choir director, Joe Frappier, asked me to take him out to dinner at the Diner in Dover, Indiana, just across the road from Western Boone. Had a small talk with him that night before the show and then he did what he did best. Picked up a guitar and shared his soul.
I still play some of his songs in my show to this day. Thank you Bill.
I saw Bill in Indianapolis in 1975/76 and Bloomington 1992/93. His music and performances were excellent. He will remain one of my favorite musicians.
I saw him many times in NE Indianapolis playing solo. He was great. I tipped him as I could afford at the time.
I think I first heard him at The Stable Innfluence near 86th and Ditch. Since I was a fan of Kris Kristofferson and Gordon Lightfoot, I was hooked. However pain just oozed out of the man.
He was missing a finger on his pickin’ hand from a factory stamping(?) accident. I remember it being a factory way out on West 10th – (Link Belt?) used to be a drive-in movie there in the 50’s(?)
Followed him around. He played, I drank.
I always wanted him to be a little happier.
A guy running a tavern on the square in Spencer was a real fan. Knew him personally. We were there early this century and he was still mourning him. Rightfully so. Bill Wilson had talent. (Drew his own album cover self-portrait.) Listen to “Cody”.
The bit about him writing The Sultans of Swing is contradicted by everyone involved and was impossible as he hadn’t even met Mark Knopfler, the actual author, before the song was recorded. Sadly, I think this was a bit of a delusion on his part or he got caught in a lie and just decided to keep up the facade.