SOUL MAN
By Chris Wadsworth
The celebrity quotient in Ashburn is pretty low. Sure, we have some high-powered government officials living here and some high-wattage CEOs, but Hollywood-type celebrities are few and far between.
But once upon a time a music star walked the streets among us. Longtime residents may know this story, but newcomers will probably be surprised to learn that famed soul music singer and songwriter Wilson Pickett once lived right here in Ashburn.
Yes, that Wilson Pickett – the performer who sang hits such as “Mustang Sally,” “In the Midnight Hour” and “Land of 1000 Dances.”
Pickett – originally from Alabama – started performing in the 1950s and became a major star in the 1960s. He eventually released dozens of songs that appeared on the R&B music charts, and in 1991 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
While he continued to perform, his later years were marred by well-publicized addiction issues and run-ins with the law. According to the Washington Post, Pickett quietly settled in Ashburn around 1998.
He lived in The Regency neighborhood on Hyde Park Drive in a two-story home with a red brick façade out front and a big deck in the back. At the time, the musician had a grand piano in his home and his beloved vintage Stutz Bearcat sports car in his garage.
“During that time, he was getting a lot of gigs over in Europe, so I think the proximity to Dulles was appealing to him,” said Mark Ganzer, who along with his wife, Cheryl, lived three doors down from Pickett. They’re still there today and they remember him as fun and outgoing.
“He was a wild man. He used to hang over the deck and watch all the moms in the pool. He was a real flirt, but he was cute. A real nice guy,” said Cheryl Ganzer. “He played Wolf Trap and a lot of us went. There was some party in The Regency afterwards.”
Sadly, in January 2006, Pickett had a heart attack and passed away at a hospital in Reston. He was only 64. His personal items – including that piano and sports car – were reportedly sold at an estate sale, and the house in Ashburn has been through several different owners since Pickett called it home.
But Pickett’s legacy in the music world lives on and so do the memories here in Ashburn among residents who were lucky enough to call him a friend.
“He was a character,” said Mark Ganzer.