John S. Wilson (music critic)

Summary

John Steuart Wilson (January 6, 1913 – August 27, 2002) was an American music critic and jazz radio host. He worked as a music critic for The New York Times for four decades, and was that paper's first critic to write regularly on jazz and other genres of popular music.[1]

John S. Wilson
Wilson, ca. 1940
Wilson, ca. 1940
Born(1913-01-06)January 6, 1913
Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedAugust 27, 2002(2002-08-27) (aged 89)
Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationMusic critic
NationalityAmerican
Alma materWesleyan University
SubjectMusic criticism, radio host
Spouse
  • Catherine Beecher (briefly in the 1930s)
  • Susan Barnes
    (m. 1950; died 1981)
  • Mary Moris Schmidt
    (m. 1983)
    [1]
Children2

Biography edit

Wilson hosted the nationally syndicated jazz performance radio series, The Manhattan Jazz Hour, which included the artists Phil Woods, Toots Thielemans, Dick Hyman, Sir Roland Hanna, Jim Hall, Joe Williams, Milt Hinton, and other jazz luminaries. The series was taped at The Manhattan Recording Company studio in New York City in 1986 and syndicated nationally by American Public Radio. Wilson interviewed the artists, who also performed live in front of a studio audience for the series.

Wilson died in Princeton, New Jersey at the age of 89.[2]

Bibliography edit

  • Wilson, John S. (1958). Collector's Jazz: Traditional and Swing. J. B. Lippincott & Co. ASIN B000ZT0MYU.
  • Wilson, John S. (1959). The Collector's Jazz: Modern. J. B. Lippincott & Co. ASIN B009T8CJ8A.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (August 28, 2002). "John S. Wilson, Jazz Critic, Is Dead at 89". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "John S. Wilson, 89; Music Critic, Author of Books on Jazz History". Los Angeles Times. 29 August 2002.