nancy wilson
b. Nancy Sue Wilson, 20th February 1937, Chillicothe, Ohio, U.S.A.
d. 13th December 2018, Pioneertown, California, U.S.A.
Nancy Wilson was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1937, and was the first of six children born to Olden Wilson and Lillian Ryan.
When she was 15, (while a student at West High School in Columbus, Ohio), she won a talent contest sponsored by local television station WTVN.
The prize was an appearance on a twice-a-week television show, entitled 'Skyline Melodies', a programme which she became the host of.
Nancy first came to the public's attention whilst performing the club circuit in nearby Columbus.
'foot stompin' b/w 'don't tell me' - 1956
Her reputation grew and she was recording regularly by the late 1950's, making her first recording for the Dots Records imprint.
She auditioned and won a spot with Rusty Bryant's Carolyn Club Big Band in 1956.
She toured with the group throughout Canada and the Midwest between 1956 and 1958.
like in love - 1960 / hello young lovers - 1962 / broadway-my way - 1963 / today, tomorrow, forever - 1964
She signed to Capitol Records and issued albums including 1959's 'Like in Love' and 'Nancy Wilson with Billy May's Orchestra'.
Nancy then relocated to New York in 1960.
Nancy's musical stylings changed and she toured with everyone from Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughn to Ruth Brown and LaVern Baker.
gentle is my love - 1965 / a touch of today - 1966 / welcome to my love - 1967 / easy - 1968
son of a preacher man - 1969 / now i'm a woman - 1970 / kaliedoscope - 1971 / i know i love him - 1973
Of her many recordings 'Tell Me The Truth' with Cannonball Adderley (1963), 'Face It Girl It's Over' (1968), 'I Know I Love Him' (1973), 'All In Love Is Fair' (1974), written by Stevie Wonder and produced by the late Gene Page, and 'You're As Right As Rain' (1974) all showed a growing maturity.
all in love is fair - 1974 / come get to this - 1975 / this mother's daughter - 1976 / life, love and harmony - 1979
In 1982 she signed with CBS, her albums here including 'The Two Of Us' (1984), duets with Ramsey Lewis produced by Stanley Clarke; 'Forbidden Lover' (1987), including the title track duet with Carl Anderson; and 'A Lady With A Song', which became her 52nd album release in 1989.
i'll be a song - 1983 / godsend - 1984 / forbidden lover - 1987 / a lady with a song - 1989
In 1986 she sang 'The Way It Goes' with The Crusaders.
By the 1990's, her musical stylings had moved her into the Adult Contemporary Market.
Nancy also hosted the Jazz Profiles series on National Public Radio.
U.K. soul fans took to her 1979 album 'Life, Love & Harmony' for the 'rare groove' tune 'Sunshine' and also the highly collectable Northern track 'The End Of Our Love' for Capitol Records.
Nancy died from a long-illness on the 13th of December 2018 at her home in Pioneertown, California at the age of 81.
Albums:
Like in Love (Capitol Records 1959)
Swingin's Mutual (Capitol Records 1960)
Something Wonderful Happens (Capitol Records 1960)
Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley (Capitol Records 1962)
Hello Young Lovers (Capitol Records 1962)
Hollywood: My Way (Capitol Records 1963)
Yesterday's Love Songs / Today's Blues (Blue Note Records 1963)
How Glad I Am (Capitol Records 1964)
Broadway: My Way (Capitol Records 1964)
Today, Tomorrow, Forever (Capitol Records 1964)
Gentle Is My Love (Capitol Records 1965)
The Nancy Wilson Show! (Capitol Records 1965)
Today: My Way (Capitol Records 1965)
From Broadway with Love (Capitol Records 1966)
A Touch of Today (Capitol Records 1966)
Lush Life (Blue Note Records 1967)
Just for Now (Capitol Records 1967)
Nancy: Naturally (Capitol Records 1967)
The Right to Love (Capitol Records 1967)
Easy (Capitol Records 1968)
Welcome to My Love (Capitol Records 1968)
The Sound of Nancy Wilson (Capitol Records 1969)
Nancy (Capitol Records 1969)
Son of a Preacher Man (Capitol Records 1969)
Hurt So Bad (Capitol Records 1969)
But Beautiful (Blue Note Records 1969)
Can't Take My Eyes off You (Capitol Records 1970)
Now I'm a Woman (Capitol Records 1970)
Kaleidoscope (Capitol Records 1971)
All In Love Is Fair (Capitol Records 1973)
I Know I Love Him (Capitol Records 1973)
Come Get to This (Capitol Records 1975)
This Mother's Daughter (Capitol Records 1976)
I've Never Been to Me (Capitol Records 1977)
Life, Love and Harmony (Capitol Records 1979)
Take My Love (Capitol Records 1980)
Tender Loving Care (Capitol Records 1984)
The Two of Us (Columbia Records 1984)
Godsend (Nippon Columbia Records 1984)
Keep You Satisfied (Columbia Records 1985)
Forbidden Lover (Columbia Records 1987)
Nancy Now! (Columbia Records 1989)
A Lady with a Song (CBS Columbia Records 1989)
With My Lover Beside (Columbia Records 1991)
Live in Europe (ITM Records 1994)
Love, Nancy (Columbia Records 1994)
Spotlight On Nancy Wilson [Great Ladies of... (Capitol Records 1995)
If I Had My Way (Sony Records 1997)
A Nancy Wilson Christmas (Telarc Records 2001)
R.S.V.P. Rare Songs, Very Personal (Telarc Records 2004)
