September 25th – On this day

During Jackie Wilson’s nearly nine-year period in a semi-comatose or vegetative state following his onstage collapse from a heart attack on September 29, 1975, he was rarely visited by fellow rock ‘n’ roll or R&B stars, and historical accounts describe him as largely isolated and neglected in his custodial care, with allegations of physical abuse and family members eventually being barred from access. While his friend and fellow singer Bobby Womack organized a high-profile benefit concert at the Hollywood Palladium in March 1976 to raise funds for his medical expenses, there’s no record of Womack or other musicians making personal hospital or nursing home visits during the extended ordeal. Elvis Presley, a longtime friend and admirer who had performed with Wilson in Las Vegas and drew inspiration from his showmanship, demonstrated support by immediately sending a substantial check to cover Wilson’s hospital bills upon learning of the incident, but he did not visit, as Presley himself died in August 1977 just two years into Wilson’s decline. No other prominent contemporaries like James Brown, Michael Jackson (who later honored Wilson posthumously at the 1984 Grammys), or members of groups such as The Coasters (beyond the immediate onstage aid from Cornell Gunter) are documented as having visited him in the years that followed, underscoring the tragic abandonment of a pioneering “Mr. Excitement” whose dynamic performances had influenced an entire generation of performers.