Bob Wilson (singer)

Bob Wilson (born Robert Douglas Wilson;[1] c.1940) is a totally blind singer, guitarist and songwriter from Pleasant Hill, California. He released three singles on the Hollywood-based label Era in 1960,[2] including the original version of "And Her Name Is Scarlet", a song that later became popular in Australia.

For other people named Bob Wilson, see Bob Wilson (disambiguation).

Early career

Wilson was a member of the Pleasant Hill High School Big Band, which held its debut concert in February 1959. A review in the Oakland Tribune mentioned soloists who included Wilson on guitar, Loren Council on alto saxophone, and Len Adams on trumpet.[3]

On Wilson's first single, released early in the following year,[4] Adams played piano and Council played saxophone. Both sides, "Two Little Birds" and "Imogene", were written by Adams and Wilson. By this time, according to The Oakland Tribune, Wilson was a 19-year-old psychology major at College of the Pacific, Adams was studying at Diablo Valley College, and Council was still in high school.[5]

Wilson and Adams were also credited as composers on a 1960 single by The Four-Stars on Era, "Blue Moon" (Bob Wilson) and "The Frog" (Len Adams)[6]

And Her Name Is Scarlet

The A-side of Wilson's third single, "And Her Name Is Scarlet"[7] was later recorded by Australian duo The De Kroo Brothers and became a hit single in Australia in 1963, especially in the cities of Sydney (#4), Brisbane (#1), and Perth (#5).[8] The Australian single used brackets in the title, "(And Her Name Is) Scarlet", following the example of a previous version by Keith Colley.

This song was written by Era co-founder Herb Newman,[9][10] although the writer credit on record labels has been to a pseudonym, either Barry Stuart or Steven Howard. [11]

"(And Her Name Is) Scarlet" was recorded by Keith Colley in 1962 (also on Era), Johnny Burnette (1964, originally unreleased), and another Australian duo, The Brothers LeGard (also on Era, 1968).[12]

A German-language version, "Aber du bist nicht so wie die anderen sind (And Her Name Is Scarlet)", was released in 1961 by Die Ramonas, a duo comprising Gus Backus and Hans Sojer (known as Tino Albertini).[13]

Bob Wilson singles discography on Era label
  • Two Little Birds (wr. Len Adams & Bob Wilson) / Imogene (wr. Len Adams & Bob Wilson), 1960, Era #3013
  • I Went To Your Wedding / Tale Of A Donkey (wr. Herbert Newman), 1960, Era #3023
  • And Her Name Is Scarlet (wr. Herbert Newman) / Jailer, Jailer, 1960, Era #3027

The Four-Stars singles discography on Era label
  • Blue Dawn (wr. Bob Wilson) / The Frog (wr. Len Adams), 1960, Era #3021

Notes and references
  1. US Copyright Office renewal registration for "Blue Dawn" EU0000621886 / 1960-04-22, m & arr. Bob Wilson (Robert Douglas Wilson); and the 1960 recording of this work on Era label with B-side written by Bob Wilson associate Len Adams, retrieved November 29, 2017
  2. 45 Discography for ERA Records at Global Dog Productions, retrieved July 19, 2012
  3. Oakland Tribune, March 01, 1959, p. B-19; facsimile archived at NewspaperArchive.com retrieved July 19, 2012
  4. "Reviews of This Week's Singles": Two Little Birds/Imogine Billboard, February 15, 1960, p.41, facsimile archived at Google Books, retrieved July 21, 2012,
  5. Oakland Tribune, January 31, 1960, p. B-23; facsimile archived at NewspaperArchive.com retrieved July 19, 2012
  6. Recording details and label shots for The Four-Stars, "Blue Moon" / "The Frog" (June 1960) at 45cat.com, retrieved November 29, 2017.
  7. The original copyrighted title has "Scarlet". Other versions and discographies may spell it as "Scarlett", or replace "Is" with "Was", or omit or reposition the brackets
  8. Gavin Ryan, Sydney Pop Music Charts 1953-2003, Brisbane Chart Book 1956-2002, and Perth Music Charts 1958-2006, Moonlight Publishing, 2003, 2004, and 2007, No ISBNs
  9. Repertoire search at American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP): Work ID 310045439
  10. US Copyright Office, Registration EU0000696657, 1961-11-24 ("Scarlet" is spelled here with one "t")
  11. See, for example, Label shot for The De Kroo Brothers' Australian single "(And Her Name Is) Scarlet" at 45cat.com, writer credit to Steven Howard; retrieved December 3, 2017; and Label shot for Bob Wilson's single "And Her Name Is Scarlet" at 45cat.com, writer credit to B. Stuart; retrieved November 29, 2017
  12. (And Her Name Is) Scarlett song history at Where Did They Get That Song? retrieved July 19, 2012
  13. Die Ramonas - Aber du bist nicht so wie die anderen sind (And Her Name Is Scarlet), release details and label shot at 45cat.com, retrieved November 29, 2017
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