Scottish musician and
singer who achieved temporary
fame when he replaced
Phil Collins as lead singer of the band
Genesis. Born in
Dumfries on September 8, 1968, Wilson grew up there before moving to
Carlisle. Wilson was a member of a series of
obscure bands up until January 1994, when he joined
Stiltskin. The band soon had a minor hit
single, "
Inside," which was made
famous when it was used in a
Levi's TV commercial.
Wilson was selected as Genesis' new lead singer in 1997 by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, who thought his voice sounded closer to that of Peter Gabriel than Phil Collins, allowing Genesis to return to a darker, more progressive rock style. He subsequently sang the lead vocals on the 1997 Genesis album Calling All Stations, and toured with the band around the world (though they did not play in the United States). However, this schedule took a toll on Wilson and his relationship with his longtime girlfriend (with whom he broke up), and he suffered from severe depression. He announced that he was leaving the band in early 2000, saying he'd rather sing in Edinburgh pubs than massive stadiums. His departure, along with the lukewarm reception of Calling All Stations (especially in America), may mark the final end of Genesis, after more than thirty years.
Sources: Ray Wilson's bio page on http://www.genesis-web.co.uk; interview article from The Daily Record, April 2000, appearing on http://www.followme.demon.nl