It's About Time - Bobby Brooks Wilson

Some may ask "Who is Bobby Brooks Wilson"

Well there is a clue in his surname and photos of Bobby give further hints to who he is!

His story is a true rags to riches tale. Bobby Brooks Hamilton was born in New York (1961?) but as an infant he found himself in the foster care system in South Carolina where he grew up in Columbia. His childhood was a sorry one where he suffered numerous ailments and childhood diseases from rickets to bronchitis and spent some years in a body cast and he also wore weighted shoes. He couldn't enjoy a normal childhood and found solace in music.

He was accidentally discovered his mother, an alcoholic, was not his real mother. His father wasn't revealed to him nor did he try to find out.

Despite all his troubles Bobby finished high school and completed two years at college where he majored in electrical engineering. He also found time to get married during which time they had a son, Bobby Jnr. The marriage was rocky and ultimately failed.

Seeking a way out Bobby dropped kurt of college and joined the Navy in which he served for 10 years after which he received an honourable discharge, medical issues had once again raised their ugly head to blight his life, this time kidney stones.

Shortly after leaving the Navy he was to appear in talent showed and karaoke bars during which time he was spotted by Peter Hernandez (lead of Peter and the Love Notes) and asked Bobby to join the Hernandez family group. Peter's son was part of the show impersonating Elvis and was to find fame in his own right later in life as Bruno Mars.

Anyway back to the story, Bobby accepted the invitation and performed as back up singer and he was coached in vocal impersonations.

Paul Revere spotted Bobby at a show in Hawaii and afterwards asked Bobby to do a Jackie Wilson medley. Bobby refused at first as he wanted to be a singer not an impersonator but Paul persisted until Bobby did as asked.

Paul immediately told John Stuart, creator of LA Legends in Concert Tribute shows about Bobby and they immediately hired Bobby.

In the meantime, Bobby had confronted his real mother who was Willie Mae Benton to try and find out the identity of his father. His mother was a former party girl and now an alcoholic told Bobby she was unsure who his father was.

It wasn't until Bobby sent his mother a photo of himself thats she asked "why send me a photo of him (Jackie Wilson)?" Bobby's reply it is me not Jackie to which she retorted "Don't ever send me any pictures of him again".

After Bobby persistently questioned his mother she finally admitted she hung out with Jackie Wilson (she was 14 at the time) but didn't know if he was his father. It wasn't until Bobby met Billy Raquel Davis that he learned the truth.

It was during a Legend's Show in Atlantic City that the Four Tops saw Bobby and asked to meet him afterwards upon which the many similarities were pointed out. They said the looks, the voice, the gestures, and even the laugh are uncanny and the fact they both sang in the same register and talked alike. Levi Stubb's, Jackie's cousin was convinced they were family. Levi asked Billy Davis to check Bobby out which he duly did and after hearing Bobby's story said he knew Bobby's mother and confirmed what the Four Tops suspected, that Bobby was Jackie's son.

Shortly Bobby was introduced to members of Jackie Wilson's family and blood tests were to prove beyond doubt that Bobby was indeed Jackie's son. He changed his name to Bobby Brooks Wilson to reflect his new life.

Bobby continued to impersonate other singers, not only in the Legends Tours but aboard cruise ship on which he found regular employment impersonating Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Little Richard, Sam Cooke and Stevie Wonder. he also impersonated his father Jackie in a Memories of Motown show celebrating Motown's 50th anniversary put together by Al Abrams.

Fast forward to 2012 and Bobby Brooks Wilson is attempting to make it as a major star in his own right in mainstream music.

Signed to Plateau Music in Nashville by Tony Mantor who released a 12 track CD titled "It's About Time".

Amongst the tracks are covers of his fathers work. Listening to "Lonely Teardrops", "I Get The Sweetest Feeling", To Be Loved" and Just Call My Name" you can hear his father in him at times. A notable cover of Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long", the opening track "I Can't Love You Anymore" in which he tells his lover he can't love her anymore than he already does and the final track a self penned "It's About Time" showcases Bobby's talent and introduces him to a wider audience.

Some would say it is about time for someone who has suffered so much when you consider who his illustrious father was.

The CD comes with liner notes penned by Al Abrams (from which much of the above information came from) and contains rare photos of Jackie and tells the story in more detail of Bobby Brooks Wilson.

Hopefully this is the first step in Bobby's career as a performer in his own right and I look forward to his next release which will hopefully showcase more of Bobby's talent and feature more self penned and/or original material, he certainly has the vocal talent to deliver the goods.

To buy the CD visit: http://www.plateaumu...m/coolstuff.cfm

or listen to samples and download via iTunes

https://itunes.apple...28?ign-mpt=uo=4

To read more about the life and times of Bobby visit his own we site at:

http://www.bobbybrookswilson.com