Early life

Born in Montreal, Wilcox drew inspiration from musician Elvis Presley at the age of six. Wilcox soon picked up the guitar and began playing, having his first live performance (to a room of ex-convicts) at fourteen years old.

Career

In 1970, Wilcox replaced Amos Garrett in Ian and Sylvia Tyson’s band, Great Speckled Bird, playing backup for acts such as Anne Murray, Carl Perkins, and Charlie Rich. In 1973, after two records, Wilcox left the band to go solo.

After leaving Great Speckled Bird, Wilcox joined The Rhythm Rockets with Bo Hluzko--later changed sex and name to Michelle Joseph--on drums, Dennis Martin vocals and my brother Bill Keeley on bass. I have no proof of this but it is dead certain true. There was also Slim on guitar, a longtime Rochdale College resident.

In his first band, David Wilcox and the Teddy Bears, Wilcox hit local stages as a flashy character with an oversized waxed moustache, a baggy suit and a flower in his lapel. His debut album, Out of the Woods, was released in 1977. Out of the Woods produced his three top hits, "Do the Bearcat", "Bad Apple", and "That Hypnotizin’ Boogie". Wilcox signed with Capitol Records in 1982, re-releasing Out of the Woods, which became Wilcox’s first album to reach gold status.

Wilcox's second album, My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble, released in 1983, featured "Downtown Came Uptown" and "Riverboat Fantasy". It was his second straight gold record and another series of tours followed.

Motivated by the success of his tour and two gold records, Wilcox went back into the studio in 1984 to record Bad Reputation. A year later he released The Best of David Wilcox, his first compilation album, as a hit-inspired collection of his songs. It was also the debut album for "Blood Money" and "When You Mistreat Her".

Later that year, Wilcox was honoured with the COCA (the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities) for Entertainer of the Year award (1985) (Biography, 2007).

Wilcox’s next album to be released was yet another compilation of previously recorded successes and was part of Capitol Records' series Over 60 Minutes with...

In the late 1980s, Wilcox moved away from his past raw live-in-the-studio approach, to a more produced synthesizer and drum program modern rock sound. The album Breakfast at the Circus (1987) featured "Layin' Pipe","The Song He Never Wrote", sounding like a Wilcox tribute to his excessive side. After more tours, he returned with 1989's The Natural Edge. It featured the title track, "The Natural Edge", the sweet anthemic pop of "Lay Down in Your Arms", "Ivory Tower", "Pop Out World", and the leadoff track "Still Life".

In 1993, Wilcox released his next album, a box set titled, The Collected Works 1977-1993. It featured live versions of "That Hypnotizin' Boogie" and "Trip Out Tonight". It also featured unreleased material such as "Needle in a Haystack" and "The Groove".

Thirteen Songs, released in 1996, featured acoustic-based music played with a small band, playing sax-and-organ jazz "Rainy Night Saloon", country storytelling "Shotgun City" and deep blues "Three Past Midnight"."Thirteenth Songs" was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario. "God Is On a Bender" is considered one of Wilcox's best songs. Wilcox released Greatest Hits Too in 1997, with much of the album being produced by Wilcox.

Wilcox's record producer released him in 1997 due to slumping sales. In 2002 he was able to pick up a contract with Edmonton-based Stony Plain Records, and he produced the album Rhythm of Love which featured "Play That Guitar Rag", "Easy Like Rain" and "Rattlesnakin' Daddy". In 2003 Wilcox released Rockin' the Boogie: The Best of Blues and Boogie, featuring much of his best-known work. In 2007, Wilcox released Boy in the Boat.

Discography

Solo

Album chart positions from RPM magazine (Canada):

• Out of the Woods (1977) #21 (on 1982 reissue)
• My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble (1983) #40
• Bad Reputation (1984) #63
• Breakfast at the Circus (1987) #29
• The Natural Edge (1989) #59
• Thirteen Songs (1996)
• Rhythm of Love (2002)
• Boy in the Boat (2007)

Compilations

• The Best of David Wilcox (1985) #90
• Over 60 Minutes With ... David Wilcox (1987)
• The Collected Works 1977-1993 (1993)
• Greatest Hits Too (1997)
• Rockin’ The Boogie: The Best of Blues and Boogie (2003)

Compilation inclusions

• Saturday Night Blues: 20 Years (2006) CBC

Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
		CAN
"Bad Apple"	1980	—	Out of the Woods
"Bump Up Ahead"		—
"Hot Hot Papa"		—
"When You Mistreat Her"	1983	—	Single only
"Downtown Came Uptown"		—	My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble
"The Grind"	1984	—	Bad Reputation
"Blood Money"	1985	—	The Best of David Wilcox
"Breakfast at the Circus"	1987	84	Breakfast at the Circus
"Layin' Pipe"		62
"Between the Lines"	1988	45
"The Natural Edge"	1989	58	The Natural Edge
"Our Town"		—
"Bless the World"	1994	54	The Collected Works 1977-1993
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]