About The Fabulous Thunderbirds
A common thread running through the T-Birds' career is the respect the group has earned for their incomparable musicality and dedication to the sound of blues, R&B and rock 'n' roll. Muddy Waters even called Wilson his favorite harmonica player and singer. "Muddy Waters was very good to me," says Wilson. "He almost adopted me. I'll never forget him."
For Wilson, the musical journey began in Goleta, California. He started playing the harmonica at the age of 17. His role models included Little Walter, George "Harmonica" Smith, Lazy Lester and James Cotton. At the same time, Wilson began to sing and was deeply impressed by Bobby "Blue" Bland, B.B. King, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rodgers and Muddy Waters. In search of other musicians who shared his love of the blues, Wilson went to Minneapolis. He stayed there for a year and a half, playing locally, before moving to the burgeoning music scene in Austin, Texas. There he met Jimmie Vaughan, with whom he founded the T-Birds in 1974. The band made a name for themselves as a captivating live act and later signed a record deal with CBS/Epic Records.
In 1979, The Fabulous Thunderbirds released their first self-titled album. The album, which was mainly influenced by the blues, became a cult classic. "Things were wide open back then," Wilson recalls. "There were hundreds of stages where bands could show what they could do.
On later releases, the band began to incorporate more Cajun, rock 'n' roll and soul influences. The album "T-Bird Rhythm" marked a creative turning point for the group when they began working with renowned producer Nick Lowe. In 1986, the Fabulous Thunderbirds reached a commercial peak with the album "Tuff Enuff". The single of the same name and the singles "Wrap It Up" and "Look At That" all reached the Top 40, and the song "Tuff Enuff" was used in the movie "Gung Ho" starring Michael Keaton.
For the rest of the 80s, the band continued to record, tour and release the album "Powerful Stuff". Jimmie Vaughn left the band in 1989, but Wilson kept the group alive, adding keyboards to the guitar-driven sound. Kim moved back to California in 1996 and continued to cultivate the T-Birds' music. "The special thing about the T-Birds is that we can play blues festivals as well as rock stages," says Wilson. "We are now a broadly diversified band in which everyone pulls together".
Photo Credit: MPI Talent Agency
