It Happened 50 Years Ago: Wilson Pickett “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)”

Alabama-born singer Wilson Pickett hit the Top 20 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart seven times in his career, most successfully with his second Top 20 hit — “Land of 1000 Dances” — in 1966. Earlier that year, Pickett reached the Top 20 for the first time when “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” peaked at number 13. Exactly 50 years ago, “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” climbed to that peak position, where it would spend three weeks.