Precious Wilson

Background

Precious Wilson started out as a backing singer for the all-male group Eruption. The group enjoyed their first minor success when they won a talent competition in 1975, and then went on to record the song "Let Me Take You Back in Time". Shortly after, the lead singer left the group, and Precious Wilson stepped forward to front the band.

The group then relocated to Germany in 1976, and the following year in 1977, while on the road touring in Germany, Eruption was introduced to German producer Frank Farian who booked them to work with Boney M.as their backing band, and as their support act on Boney M's first European tour. Frank Farian then went on to Sign them to Boney M.'s label, Hansa Records, Farian released the single "Party Party" but it was their disco cover version of Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain" from their first album which broke big, giving them a UK #5 hit and a US #18 hit. After a second album and another hit single with Neil Sedaka's "One Way Ticket" (UK #9), Precious Wilson left the group to pursue her solo career.

Solo career

Wilson's debut single as a solo artist was a cover version of Sam & Dave's "Hold On I'm Coming", released in August 1979. Produced by Frank Farian and set to a funky disco-beat, the single reached #45 in the Dutch charts. The song was also included in Boney M.'s No. 1 album Oceans of Fantasy which also yielded a guest performance by Wilson on the opening track "Let It All Be Music".

She co-wrote the title song of her debut album "We Are On the Race Track", also produced by Farian, was completed during 1980 on Hansa Records. It was released in October, heralded by the single "Cry to Me" which Wilson performed on TV, backed by the band that she created called Sky Train. The single reached number 3 in Switzerland. The album's second single, "We Are on the Race Track", reached #11 there in early 1981.

In October 1981, she released a cover version of "I Need You" which peaked at #6 in Switzerland where her popularity was strong. In Germany, it reached #39. In the summer of 1982, the electro-pop track "I Don't Know" was released, followed by her second album "All Coloured in Love". The album was released with a different track selection in the UK, Italy and France under the name Red Light followed by several different single releases in the various territories.

Hot on the heels of the then Aerobic craze and Farian's success with its current album Aerobic Fitness Dancing, the theme song "Let's Move Aerobic (Move Your Body)" was rush-released with Wilson's vocals in March '83. Her third album "Funky Fingers" (December 1983), consisting of two side-long medleys of soul standards, was released with minimal support. In 1985, she signed with Jive Records and teamed up with multiple producer teams for the album, including American songwriter, Monte Moir, a musician and song-writer, best known as a member of Prince Rogers Nelson's band, The Time.

The following year Precious Wilson released several singles; launching "I'll Be Your Friend" (a U.S. Top 40 R&B hit), the theme song from the Michael Douglas movie "The Jewel of the Nile",( which was the sequel to the movie "Romancing The Stone"), and "Nice Girls Don't Last" ("Love Can't Wait" in the U.S.).

On the 7th of September 1986 she sang on The Anti-Heroin Project - Live-In World This song itself and the album brought together various artists donated a song or recorded one especially for a charity release to benefit The Phoenix House Charity, a drug rehabilitation center. Participants included: Elvis Costello, Bonnie Tyler, Holly Johnson, Sir Paul McCartney, John Cleese, Ringo Starr, Chris Rea, Kim Wilde, Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, Sinitta, Miquel Brown, Howard Jones, Feargal Sharkey, Bananarama, Sheila Ferguson of the Three Degrees, Dire Straits, Wham, Bucks Fizz, Robin Gibbs of the Bee Gees and Darryl Pandy.

This mega session for the title track "A Live In World" (and many others). Precious sang on the track called "Waiting In The Dark" and song called "Something Better" along with Kim Wilde and Darryl Pandy.

A dance cover of Jerry Butler's "Only the Strong Survive" in 1987, produced by Stock Aitken Waterman.

Precious has toured the former USSR on the invitation of the Soviet Cultural Ministry. The 55 date concert tour was arranged in six Soviet Republics, performing to full capacity audiences at each venue. She was the first black UK based female artiste to have undertaken such an extensive tour in the then USSR in 1988.

As well as having the talent for a variety of television and stage work she astounded theatre land with the hit musical "BLUES IN THE NIGHT".

Other performances include shows in Monte Carlo, numerous concert tours in both Eastern Europe including the Kremlin, and continental Europe. She has participated in a Royal Variety Show in the presence of HRH QUEEN ELIZABETH of the UK, and a member of the SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY.

Over the years she has made guest appearances and associated studio productions with artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, James Brown, Boney M, Michael Bolton, Little Richard and she also recorded along with Sir Cliff Richard on The Kendrick Collection by Graham Kendrick.

After another of her co-written songs, was the single with "I May Be Right 4U" in 1990, she achieved two major hit singles in the early 1990s with a cover of Sheila and B. Devotion's "Spacer" (a hit single in France, 1992) and a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" (a UK #19 hit single with techno group Messiah, 1992). Since then, Wilson has been touring extensively internationally, and also frequently tours as Eruption featuring Precious Wilson.

Wilson lives in London, the UK.

Precious Wilson is the legal owner of the trademark Eruption.

Precious Wilson appeared on Channel4 First Dates (6th June 2017).

Albums

Filmography

Precious Wilson along with the other members of Eruption, and Boney M were all featured in the 1979 German movie "Disco Fever". She performed 'Raising my family' and 'The night the music died' on programme called Coeur En Fête, broadcast on LIVE on 16 March 1983 channel TSR1, Switzerland, 23:25