Nancy Sue Wilson (20 Feb 1937 - 13 Dec 2018) was born in Chillicothe,
OH, 86 years ago today. She was fundamentally a jazz singer, who
preferred to be called a song stylist, whose career spanned seven
decades from 1956 until she retired in 2011.
Nancy got her break by entering a talent show on WTVN radio when she was
15 which earned her a role on a TV show "Skyline Melodies". She didn't
actually win, as is often reported, she was asked not to participate as
the station felt that she would run away with it and offered her two
slots per week on the TV show instead.
Her first recording was as a featured vocalist on a single by Rusty
Bryant And The Carolyn Club Band "Don't Tell Me" on Dot in 1956 who she
toured with from 1956-58.
She moved to New York in 1959 on the suggestion of mentor Cannonball
Adderley and got a spot performing four nights a week in a club.
Adderley's manager and double-bassist, John Levy sent demos of four
songs to Capitol Records who signed her in 1960.
Whilst her third single "Guess Who I Saw Today" is one of her signature songs, it was her fourth single "Save Your Love For Me" that was her first R&B chart entry. Her debut album "Like in Love" was R&B but, again on the suggestion of Cannonball Adderley, she
transitioned to jazz and it was her collaborative album with him in 1961
where the hit single "Save Your Love For Me" came from.
Further hits included "Tell Me The Truth" and "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" for which she won her first Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues
Recording. However, with around sixty recorded albums, she rarely
crossed over to the Hot 100 singles chart (she had a total of 22 R&B
chart entries between 1962 and 1994) with her biggest crossover hit
being "Face It Girl It's Over" in 1968 which reached #29 and had her Northern Soul classic "End Of Our Love" on the flip.
As well as receiving a Grammy in 1965 for "How Glad I Am", she received
two more for Best Jazz Vocal Album for "R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)" (2005) and "Turned To Blue" (2007). In addition to many other awards she received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.
Such was her popularity in the mid/late 60s that she had her own TV show
"The Nancy Wilson Show" which won an Emmy. She also appeared on many
other TV shows as both a singer and an actress.
Interview transcript on
Jazz Wax.
Whilst a lot of her material consists of jazz standards, for the
playlist below, we've aimed to select the more soulful tracks.
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