Page Wilson dead at 56

Virginia by Page Wilson from Joe Sokohl on Vimeo.

My friend, musician and radio host, Page Wilson has died. He was 56.

Click here to read his obituary in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Click here to read a piece about Wilson written by Harry Kollatz for Richmond Magazine in 2009. For a reaction from Kollatz to the news of Wilson's death click here.

Click here to see Mark Holmberg's Channel 6 story.

The video here was shot by me in 1999 in the old Texas-Wisconsin Border Café. Wilson was acting as one of the auctioneers to raise money from the artifacts on the then-closing restaurant's walls to fund a scholarship in the name of Jim Bradford. A good time was had.

Note:

My earliest memories of Page Wilson go back to when he was singing in the basement at Sam Miller's, sometime in the mid-70s. In those days I managed the Biograph Theatre and occasionally promoted live music events.

At times, over the years, we worked together or had mutual interests. A born promoter, Page was always a good man to have on your side. He remembered his friends and he was a tireless supporter of Richmond's music scene.

Already I've heard from a couple of old pals who said they had asked Page to sing "Amazing Grace" when they cashed in their chips. Now I suppose they, and the rest of us, will be singing it at his sendoff.

My favorite Page Wilson moment: At the Biograph's 30th anniversary party at Poe's Pub (Feb. of 2002), Page performed, as did the Taters and Used Carlotta.

At first I was a little surprised when Page volunteered to lead off the show. But he knew exactly how he wanted to start the party. After eulogizing the long-dead theater (1972-87) for the ears of a crowd that had gathered to remember it fondly, without accompaniment, Page sang a slow version of "This Land is Your Land." His tender rendition of the Woody Guthrie classic was a far cry from most of his suitable-for-a-saloon material. Page made it sound like a sweet hymn at a memorial service.

In recent years it was difficult to watch as Page struggled with bad luck and bad health. He was a proud man and could be stubborn. As he had always been an independent's independent, Page had nothing to fall back on but a little help from his friends.

Now Page's tribulations are over. They will become a footnote to the larger story of his generous, self-styled way of doing everything. Don't bother waiting for the next booming-voiced Page Wilson. There won't be another one coming along any time soon. Page wasn't imitating anyone ... he was one of a kind.

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Updates:

• Shortly after 6 p.m. on Wed., Mar. 16, a spontaneous gathering at Bellytimber took place. It's a relatively new bar in the same building that housed the Tex-Wisc Border Café ... in another millennium. Lots of familiar faces. Old faces. Good faces. We drank to Page. Stories were told. Then, naturally, we hoisted another one to Page.

• Click here to read the bio material on Page Wilson and Reckless Abandon at Page's web site.

• Click here to see Plan 9's Page Wilson Remembered page.

• Click here to read and hear "WCVE Public Radio Mourns Passing of Page Wilson." Don't miss the comments section.

• Now I'm told Page was born on Feb. 12, 1954, which would have made him 57 when he died.

• Click here to read "Amazing Grace" at STYLE Weekly.

• Click here to read about a May 8th memorial show at the Canal Club, being put together by some of Page's friends. The talent lineup already includes: Janet Martin, Susan Greenbaum, the Taters, Terry Garland and His Small Band, the Reckless Abandon Boys, plus Lil Ronnie and the Grand Dukes.

• Sat., Mar. 26, at Page's usual time-slot on WCVE (88.9 FM), 8 p.m., a tribute to him will air. Live music by some of Page's friends will be featured.
  

• Click here to see/hear a Christian Children's Fund public service announcement (produced by Burford Advertising) that features Page singing "Amazing Grace."