Hop Wilson
Encyclopedia
Hardin "Hop" Wilson was an American
Texas blues
steel guitar
player. Wilson gained the nickname
"Hop" as a devolution of "Harp" due to his constant playing of a harmonica
as a child. His low sounding playing gave several of his tracks, even "Merry Christmas Darling", a morose, disillusioned feel.
, Texas
, United States
, in 1927, learning to play guitar and harmonica at an early age. Acquiring his first steel guitar
sometime between the age of 12 and 18, Wilson performed at various Houston
clubs. After serving in the United States Army
, Wilson decided to pursue a musical career.
Hardin "Hop" Wilson (April 27, 1927 – August 27, 1975) was an American
Texas blues
steel guitar
player. Wilson gained the nickname
"Hop" as a devolution of "Harp" due to his constant playing of a harmonica
as a child. His low sounding playing gave several of his tracks, even "Merry Christmas Darling", a morose, disillusioned feel.
, Texas
, United States
, in 1927, learning to play guitar and harmonica at an early age. Acquiring his first steel guitar
sometime between the age of 12 and 18, Wilson performed at various Houston
clubs. After serving in the United States Army
, Wilson decided to pursue a musical career.
Hardin "Hop" Wilson (April 27, 1927 – August 27, 1975) was an American
Texas blues
steel guitar
player. Wilson gained the nickname
"Hop" as a devolution of "Harp" due to his constant playing of a harmonica
as a child. His low sounding playing gave several of his tracks, even "Merry Christmas Darling", a morose, disillusioned feel.
, Texas
, United States
, in 1927, learning to play guitar and harmonica at an early age. Acquiring his first steel guitar
sometime between the age of 12 and 18, Wilson performed at various Houston
clubs. After serving in the United States Army
, Wilson decided to pursue a musical career.
in Lake Charles
, Louisiana
. In 1960, Wilson signed with Ivory Records in Houston. Wilson led recording sessions, but despised touring, and only played locally until his death in Houston in 1975. Aged 48, the cause of death was given as brain disease.
of The Rolling Stones
, who stated in 1994 "There's another guitar player called Hop Wilson. I got songs that I wrote like "Black Limousine" from him, those kinds of licks".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Texas blues
Texas blues
Texas blues is a subgenre of blues. It has had various style variations but typically has been played with more swing than other blues styles....
steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
player. Wilson gained the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Hop" as a devolution of "Harp" due to his constant playing of a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
as a child. His low sounding playing gave several of his tracks, even "Merry Christmas Darling", a morose, disillusioned feel.
Early life
Wilson was born in GrapelandGrapeland, Texas
Grapeland is a city in Houston County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Grapeland is located at ....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1927, learning to play guitar and harmonica at an early age. Acquiring his first steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
sometime between the age of 12 and 18, Wilson performed at various Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
clubs. After serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Wilson decided to pursue a musical career.
Hardin "Hop" Wilson (April 27, 1927 – August 27, 1975) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Texas blues
Texas blues
Texas blues is a subgenre of blues. It has had various style variations but typically has been played with more swing than other blues styles....
steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
player. Wilson gained the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Hop" as a devolution of "Harp" due to his constant playing of a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
as a child. His low sounding playing gave several of his tracks, even "Merry Christmas Darling", a morose, disillusioned feel.
Early life
Wilson was born in GrapelandGrapeland, Texas
Grapeland is a city in Houston County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Grapeland is located at ....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1927, learning to play guitar and harmonica at an early age. Acquiring his first steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
sometime between the age of 12 and 18, Wilson performed at various Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
clubs. After serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Wilson decided to pursue a musical career.
Hardin "Hop" Wilson (April 27, 1927 – August 27, 1975) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Texas blues
Texas blues
Texas blues is a subgenre of blues. It has had various style variations but typically has been played with more swing than other blues styles....
steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
player. Wilson gained the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Hop" as a devolution of "Harp" due to his constant playing of a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
as a child. His low sounding playing gave several of his tracks, even "Merry Christmas Darling", a morose, disillusioned feel.
Early life
Wilson was born in GrapelandGrapeland, Texas
Grapeland is a city in Houston County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Grapeland is located at ....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1927, learning to play guitar and harmonica at an early age. Acquiring his first steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
sometime between the age of 12 and 18, Wilson performed at various Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
clubs. After serving in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Wilson decided to pursue a musical career.
Music career
Wilson began his career performing with Ivory Lee Semien in the 1950s, recording tracks in 1957 for Goldband RecordsGoldband Records
Goldband Records is an American record company based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, founded in 1945 and best known for its Cajun and R&B recordings in the 1950s and 1960s....
in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In 1960, Wilson signed with Ivory Records in Houston. Wilson led recording sessions, but despised touring, and only played locally until his death in Houston in 1975. Aged 48, the cause of death was given as brain disease.
Influence
While Wilson's recording career has been characterized as "slight", he did have an influence on a variety of musicians, including Ron WoodRon Wood
Ronald David "Ronnie" Wood is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and current member of The Rolling Stones. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar....
of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, who stated in 1994 "There's another guitar player called Hop Wilson. I got songs that I wrote like "Black Limousine" from him, those kinds of licks".