Ann Wilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Wilson
Wilson at Wacken Open Air 2022
Background information
Birth name	Ann Dustin Wilson
Born	(1950-06-19) June 19, 1950 (age 75) San Diego, California, U.S.
Origin	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres	Hard rock, folk rock, pop rock, arena rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1967–present

Ann Dustin Wilson (born June 19, 1950) is an American singer. She is best known as the lead singer of the famous rock band Heart.

Ann Wilson has been a part of Heart since the early 1970s. Her younger sister, Nancy Wilson, is also a member of the band. Heart was one of the first hard rock bands with women leading the way. They released many albums between 1975 and 2016. Early albums like Dreamboat Annie (1975) and Little Queen (1977) had classic rock songs. These include "Magic Man", "Crazy on You", and "Barracuda". Heart has sold over 35 million records around the world. They had 29 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Their albums also reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2010s.

In 2006, Hit Parader magazine ranked Ann Wilson as number 78 on their list of "Greatest Rock Vocalists of All Time." In 2013, she was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Heart. Ann Wilson is known for her powerful and wide vocal range.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Ann Dustin Wilson was born in San Diego, California. Her father was a major in the U.S. Marine Corps. Because of her father's job, the Wilson family moved often. They lived near military bases in Panama and Taiwan. In the early 1960s, they settled in Seattle, Washington.

To make any place feel like home, the Wilsons used music. Her sister Nancy remembered, "On Sunday we'd have pancakes and opera." She added that their dad would even pretend to conduct music in the living room. They listened to all kinds of music, from classical to Ray Charles and Judy Garland.

The Wilson family eventually settled in Bellevue, a town near Seattle. Ann graduated from Sammamish High School in 1968. She was a bit shy, but she found comfort and joy in music. In the early 1970s, she joined a local band called White Heart. This band later changed its name to Hocus Pocus, and then in 1974, it became Heart. Ann also studied at Cornish College of the Arts.

Ann Wilson's Music Career

Ann and her sister Nancy in 1998

Ann's younger sister, Nancy, joined Heart, and the band moved to Canada. Heart recorded their first album, Dreamboat Annie, in Vancouver in 1975. It was released in the United States in 1976. "Magic Man" became Heart's first Top 10 hit in the U.S., reaching number 9. "Crazy on You" reached number 35. Ann and Nancy Wilson wrote both of these songs together.

In 1977, Heart released Little Queen. In 1978, Dog & Butterfly came out. Later, in 1986, the song "These Dreams" became a number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1992, Ann Wilson sang on two songs, "Brother" and "Am I Inside", for Alice in Chains' EP Sap.

The Wilson sisters opened a recording studio called Bad Animals in Seattle in the mid-1980s. They also formed a side band called the Lovemongers. This group performed Led Zeppelin's song "The Battle of Evermore" for the 1992 movie soundtrack Singles. They later released a four-song EP. The Lovemongers' first album, Whirlygig, was released in 1997.

In 2001, Ann Wilson joined producer Alan Parsons for "A Walk Down Abbey Road". This was a live tour that paid tribute to Beatles music.

Solo Work and Special Performances

Ann Wilson's first solo album, Hope & Glory, was released on September 11, 2007. This album featured many guest artists. These included Elton John, k.d. lang, Alison Krauss, and Rufus Wainwright. Nancy Wilson also helped with the album. Three songs from the album were released as singles: "Little Problems, Little Lies", "Isolation", and a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song."

On November 22, 2012, Ann Wilson sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. This was at the start of a Thanksgiving Day football game.

The Wilson sisters performed at the Kennedy Center tribute to Led Zeppelin on December 2, 2012. The three living members of Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, were there. The Wilsons sang "Stairway To Heaven". They were joined by an orchestra, a choir, and drummer Jason Bonham. Jason is the son of Led Zeppelin's late drummer, John Bonham.

On July 13, 2015, Ann Wilson announced her solo tour, "The Ann Wilson Thing." It started on September 21. She released her first EP, The Ann Wilson Thing! – #1, digitally on September 18, 2015. On July 22, 2016, she announced focus, the second EP from The Ann Wilson Thing! She played a mini-tour in Florida in September 2016 to support this release.

Wilson receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 2012

On October 12, 2017, Ann Wilson's first feature film, Ann Wilson: In Focus, was released. It included an interview with her and 20 live song performances. These were from her "Ann Wilson of Heart" tour stop in Wilmington, North Carolina, on March 21, 2017.

On April 14, 2018, Ann Wilson and Alice in Chains' guitarist Jerry Cantrell honored their friend, Chris Cornell. They performed Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

On August 3, 2018, Wilson released "You Don't Own Me." This was the second song from her solo album, Immortal. The album came out on September 14, 2018. It has ten songs that honor artists who influenced her and her friends.

In May 2021, Ann Wilson announced her first concerts since the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a mini-tour called "Rite of June." In 2022, she was considered for the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In November 2022, Wilson was featured on the Disturbed song "Don't Tell Me." This song is from their album Divisive. The song reached number 2 on Billboard's Hard Rock Song Sales chart.

On April 25, 2024, Heart began their Royal Flush 2024 Tour. The June and July 2024 dates for this tour in the UK and Europe were canceled. This was because Ann Wilson needed a medical procedure and time to recover. The tour was planned to start again on February 28, 2025.

Personal Life

Ann Wilson adopted a daughter, Marie, in 1991. In 1998, she adopted a son, Dustin.

Ann Wilson married Dean Wetter in April 2015. They had briefly dated in the 1980s. In February 2019, Ann and Nancy Wilson announced that Heart would be touring again. In March 2019, they performed together on stage for the first time since the band took a break. This was at the Love Rocks NYC benefit concert.

As a child, Ann Wilson was sometimes teased about her weight. She shared that she had struggled with her weight for a long time. In January 2002, she had surgery to help with weight loss. In Heart's 2012 autobiography, Ann Wilson also shared that she had faced challenges with addiction in the past. She has been sober since 2009.

In July 2024, it was announced that Ann Wilson had been diagnosed with cancer. A tumor was removed through surgery. Heart postponed touring until 2025 so she could have preventative treatment. During the tour, Ann Wilson has been performing in a wheelchair onstage. This is because her left arm is in a sling from a broken elbow.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Other appearances

Live albums

Compilations

See also

In Spanish: Ann Wilson para niños