Wess
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|
Wess | |
|---|---|
| Wess with Dori Ghezzi (Sanremo, 1973) Wess with Dori Ghezzi (Sanremo, 1973) | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Wesley Johnson August 13, 1945 |
| Died | September 21, 2009 (aged 64) New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop, soul |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1964–2009 |
| Labels | Durium, London, UAR |
Wesley Johnson known by his stage name Wess (August 13, 1945 — September 21, 2009) was an American-born Italian singer and bass guitarist, perhaps mostly known for representing Italy along with Dori Ghezzi at the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 in Stockholm, Sweden, placing third with the song "Era".[1]
Originally from North Carolina, Wess moved to Italy in the 1960s in pursuit of a musical career. He formed a successful duo with Ghezzi and achieved some hits in Italy, such as "Voglio stare con te", "Come stai? Con chi sei?" and "Un corpo e un'anima". Wess also was a singer and played bass guitar for the soul-funk band Wess & The Airedales in the 1960s and early 1970s.
He died in 2009[2] in New York during his United States tour when a breathing crisis led to his death.[3]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]He was the father of Deborah Johnson and UK-based R&B singer Romina Johnson, who often accompanied him as a backing singer.[4]
In popular media
[edit | edit source]In its winter 2018 issue, Oxford American magazine published an essay about Johnson's life as a young performer in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and how his earliest experiences affected his career in Italy.[5]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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External links
[edit | edit source]
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- 1945 births
- 2009 deaths
- Italian people of African-American descent
- American male bass guitarists
- 20th-century African-American male singers
- 20th-century American male singers
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century Italian male singers
- 20th-century bass guitarists
- American expatriates in Italy
- American expatriate musicians
- 20th-century American bass guitarists
- London Records artists
- United Artists Records artists
- African-American guitarists
- Eurovision Song Contest entrants
- Italian musician stubs