Like so many others, I was captivated by the remarkable life story of the British rock guitarist Wilko Johnson, which I wrote about in 2018 in my blog post “Wilko Johnson and the Ultimate Comeback.” Unfortunately, his seeming triumph over cancer came to an end at 75, on November 21.
Wilko has long been a favorite of mine, going back to the mid-‘70s, when he was an original member of the influential band Dr Feelgood. I treasure the times I saw the band in person during that era.
After his cancer diagnosis, Wilko and Roger Daltrey of The Who recorded a chart-topping album, Going Back Home. Before that, and while still playing in his own bands, Wilko had the role of the mute executioner Ser Ilyn Payne in Game of Thrones. In 2016, his autobiography, Don’t You Leave Me Here: My Life, was published in the UK by Little, Brown.
There has been considerable coverage of his death, and tributes to his life, in both the mainstream press and on social media. On November 23, Daltrey posted this on his Facebook page: “More than anything Wilko wanted to be a poet. I was lucky to have known him and have him as a friend. His music lives on but there’s no escaping the final curtain this time. So it’s goodnight to Mad Carew, the uncompromising Bard of Canvey.” ~ Roger
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin tweeted on November 23: “I’m sad to hear today of the passing of Wilko Johnson, the Dr Feelgood guitarist and singer/songwriter. I saw Wilko perform at Koko in Camden in May 2013 and the atmosphere was electric. This show was originally billed as his farewell tour.” And later that day: “But, thankfully, he continued performing and thrilling crowds until recently. I really admired him and we’ll all miss him. RIP Wilko.”
Wilko’s Facebook page posted on November 23: “As many of you know, we have cancer doctor Charlie Chan and surgeon Emmanuel Huguet to thank for the extra years Wilko was able to enjoy. Emmanuel Huguet: ‘I feel honoured to have known Wilko. He was uplifting and life enhancing for me. Like so many other people, I loved him.’”
I’ve collected the following 25 resources, which I hope will inspire you to listen to Wilko Johnson’s timeless music, and to be grateful for his considerable gifts to the world.
Beyond the Point: Interview with Wilko Johnson
Big Issue: Wilko Johnson: ‘I believed I was going to die – then started to feel alive’
Billboard: Wilko Johnson, Former Dr. Feelgood Guitarist, Dies at 75
Bluebird Reviews: It’s All An Accident! – An Interview With Wilko Johnson
Classic Rock: Book Review – Wilko Johnson: Don’t You Leave Me Here – My Life (Little Brown)
Dr Feelgood Canvey Island
Financial Times: ‘Don’t You Leave Me Here: My Life’, by Wilko Johnson; A lucid autobiography of a true rock-and-roll survivor
The Guardian: Wilko Johnson Obituary
Louder Than Words Festival: Wilko Johnson Writing Award
Medium/Jeremy Gaunt: Wilko Johnson: An Appreciation and Reminiscence
MOJO: Wilko Johnson Remembered
The New York Times: Wilko Johnson, Scorching Guitarist and Punk Pioneer, Dies at 75
NME.com: Punk Filmmaker Julien Temple On His Moving New Wilko Johnson Movie
NME.com: Wilko Johnson, 1947-2022: proto-punk guitar pioneer with a fighting spirit
NPR: Wilko Johnson Set Out To Make One Final Album, But It Didn’t Work Out That Way
PRS for Music: Wilko Johnson 2016 Interview
Reuters/Jeremy Gaunt: Cult musician Wilko Johnson “so alive” as death approaches (2013)
Rockshot Mag: Wilko Johnson: Photographs and Memories
Rolling Stone: Wilko Johnson, Dr. Feelgood Guitarist Who Influenced the Punk Movement, Dead at 75
Something Else!: Wilko Johnson – I Keep It To Myself: The Best of Wilko Johnson (2017)
UNCUT: Oil City Confidential: Engaging portrait of Canvey Island R&B tearaways
Variety: SXSW Film Review: ‘The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson’
The Washington Post: Wilko Johnson, British guitarist of Dr. Feelgood, dies at 75