Nancy Wilson

Widely acknowledged as one of the most versatile and enduring singers of the modern era incorporating jazz, blues, soul, pop and show tunes, Nancy Wilson had a catalogue of more than 70 albums and three Grammy Awards to her name. The eldest daughter of an iron foundry worker, she performed regularly as a child and first came to wider attention at the age of 15 with appearances on the TV show 'Skyline Melodies' which resulted from winning a local talent contest. After briefly attempting to pursue a career as a teacher, she joined Rusty Bryant's Carolyn Club Big Band in 1956, touring tirelessly and making her first recordings with them. After moving to New York she secured a residency at the Blue Morocco club, leading to a contract with Capitol Records and a hit with her first single 'Guess Who I Saw Today'. She went on to make five albums between 1960 and 1962 before enjoying one of her biggest successes collaborating with Cannonball Adderley on the album 'Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley'. She had another major hit in 1963 with 'Tell Me the Truth' and, the following year, released one of her signature tunes '(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am'. She became a regular guest on network TV shows before attempting to broaden her appeal by dipping into soul and funk music in the 1970s, including another celebrated track 'Sunshine'. During the 1980s she diversified further, recording with a range of different acts including Hank Jones and the Great Jazz Trio, Griffith Park Band and Ramsey Lewis. She continued to be a popular live performer and recording artist until announcing her retirement on stage in 2011. After several health scares over the years, she passed away in 2018 after a long battle with kidney cancer.

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