Ricky Helton Wilson (March 19, 1953 – October 12, 1985)[1] was an American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of rock band the B-52s.

[3] On October 12, 1985, at the age of 32, Wilson died from complications related to AIDS following the recording of the band's fourth studio album Bouncing Off the Satellites.

According to Strickland, the album had been completed and mixed before Wilson's death, with only the cover art not yet designed (an illustration by Kenny Scharf was ultimately decided upon).

Devastated, the band went into seclusion and did not tour to promote the album, though they did several photo shoots and TV appearances and filmed a video for "Girl from Ipanema Goes to Greenland".

[10][11] From 1969 to 1971, Wilson and Strickland collaborated with high school friends Pete Love of Louisville and Athens native Owen Scott III in performing together as the four-member band Black Narcissus.

[12] The two joined the B-52s when they, Wilson's sister Cindy, Kate Pierson, and Fred Schneider of local protest band the Sun-Donuts,[12] formed the group in an impromptu musical practice session after sharing a tropical flaming volcano drink at a Chinese restaurant.

[12][3][13] The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of their era was a combination of dance and surf music set apart by the unusual guitar tunings used by Wilson.