John Wilson (singer)

[1] At the age of ten he was apprenticed to a printing firm, and then engaged by the Ballantyne brothers, where he helped to set up typeface for the Waverley Novels.

He studied singing in Edinburgh under Finlay Dun, and afterwards in London under Gesualdo Lanza and Domenico Crivelli, taking harmony and counterpoint lessons from George Aspull.

In March 1830 he appeared in Edinburgh as Harry Bertram in Guy Mannering, and was subsequently engaged in other operas—notably in Michael William Balfe's, in some of which he created the principal part—at Covent Garden and Drury Lane.

Firstly, a memorial to three singers, including Wilson, at the Regent Road entrance to Calton Hill.

He composed songs, notably "Love wakes and sleeps", and at his performances introduced a number that were unclaimed, but were attributed to him.