Sweet Pea Atkinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sweet Pea Atkinson
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| Birth name | Hillard Atkinson |
| Born | September 20, 1945 Oberlin, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 5, 2020 (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, funk, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1970s–2020 |
| Associated acts | Was (Not Was) |
Hillard "Sweet Pea" Atkinson (born September 20, 1945 – died May 5, 2020) was an American singer. He was famous for his powerful voice in R&B and funk music. Many people knew him as one of the main singers for the band Was (Not Was).
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About Sweet Pea Atkinson
Sweet Pea Atkinson was born in Oberlin, Ohio. When he was a child, his family moved to Detroit. He used to work at the Chrysler car factory. While working there, he also sang with his friends in a local band called Hi Energy.
In the late 1970s, he met a musician named Don Was. They met at a music studio where Sweet Pea was practicing. This meeting was the start of a very important part of his music career.
Joining Was (Not Was)
Sweet Pea Atkinson became a lead singer for the band Was (Not Was). He shared the singing duties with another talented singer, Harry Bowens. He sang on many of the band's most popular songs.
In 1982, after the first Was (Not Was) album came out, Sweet Pea released his own solo album. It was called Don't Walk Away. David and Don Was helped produce this album.
Later, in 1997, Sweet Pea Atkinson also appeared in a short film. This film was part of Don Was's album Forever's a Long, Long Time. Sweet Pea sang most of the songs on this album. On it, Don Was performed songs by the famous country singer Hank Williams.
The Boneshakers and Other Work
Sweet Pea Atkinson also teamed up with blues guitarist Randy Jacobs. Randy Jacobs was a longtime guitarist for Was (Not Was). He even helped write their big hit song, "Walk the Dinosaur".
Together, Sweet Pea and Randy formed a band called The Boneshakers. They released three albums. Two of these were studio albums: Book of Spells (1997) and Shake the Planet (1999). Their third album was Live in Seattle, which featured saxophonist Mindi Abair.
Sweet Pea also toured for ten years with the musician Lyle Lovett. He sang on many recordings for other famous artists. These included Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, Jackson Browne, and Jimmy Barnes.
His Solo Music
Sweet Pea Atkinson released two solo albums during his career.
Albums
- Don't Walk Away (Island, 1982)
- Get What You Deserve (2017)
Singles
- "Dance or Die" (This song reached number 27 on Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in 1982.)
His Passing
Sweet Pea Atkinson passed away on May 5, 2020. He was 74 years old. He died from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.
