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American soul singer and songwriter, known as "The Wicked Pickett" for his raw, powerful vocals and energetic stage presence. A key figure in the development of Southern soul music.Born in Alabama, Pickett rose to fame in the 1960s as a leading artist for Atlantic Records. He recorded many of his biggest hits, including "In the Midnight Hour" and "Mustang Sally," at Stax Records in Memphis and FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. His intense vocal style made him a defining voice of soul music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

• Pickett had a notoriously fiery temper and faced numerous legal issues, including arrests for assault, drunk driving, and famously in 1991 for allegedly yelling death threats and running down an 86-year-old man with his car.
• He spent a year in jail in the early 1990s after the hit-and-run incident.
• Pickett's career saw a resurgence after his music was prominently featured in the 1991 film "The Commitments," where the fictional band idolizes him.
• He struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction for many years.
• Pickett died of a heart attack on January 19, 2006, at the age of 64, following a period of declining health.