Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nancy Wilson
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Wilson in 1968
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| Born |
Nancy Sue Wilson
February 20, 1937 Chillicothe, Ohio, U.S.
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| Died | December 13, 2018 (aged 81) Pioneertown, California, U.S.
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| Years active | 1956–2011 |
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Kenny Dennis
(m. 1960; div. 1970)Wiley Burton
(m. 1974; died 2008) |
| Children | 3 |
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Nancy Sue Wilson (born February 20, 1937 – died December 13, 2018) was an amazing American singer and actress. Her career lasted for over 50 years, starting in the mid-1950s and ending in the early 2010s. She was famous for her song " (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" and her version of "Guess Who I Saw Today". Nancy Wilson recorded more than 70 albums and won three Grammy Awards. People called her a "song stylist" because she could sing many different types of music, like blues, jazz, R&B, pop, and soul. She also had fun nicknames like "Sweet Nancy" and "The Girl With the Honey-Coated Voice."
Contents
Early Life
Nancy Wilson was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, on February 20, 1937. Her father, Olden Wilson, worked in an iron factory, and her mother was Lillian Ryan. Nancy started singing in church choirs when she was young. This helped her develop her beautiful voice.
She went to West High School in Columbus, Ohio. There, she won a talent contest! This win led to her hosting a local TV show. After high school, she studied education at Central State University in Ohio.
A Star's Journey
Nancy Wilson's big break came when she met jazz musician Cannonball Adderley. He told her she should move to New York City to find more opportunities. So, in 1959, she moved there. She wanted to work with Adderley's manager and get a record deal.
Just four weeks after arriving in New York, she got her first chance to sing at a club called "The Blue Morocco." She sang there four nights a week! During the day, she worked as a secretary. Soon, she sent some demo songs to Capitol Records. They loved her voice and signed her in 1960.
Rising to Fame
Nancy Wilson's first song, "Guess Who I Saw Today", was a huge hit. Because of its success, Capitol Records released five of her albums between 1960 and 1962. Her first album, Like in Love, showed off her talent in R&B.
Cannonball Adderley suggested she try singing more jazz and ballads. In 1962, they worked together on the album Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley. This album made her famous across the country. It included the popular R&B song "Save Your Love For Me".
Between 1964 and 1965, four of Nancy's albums reached the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. In 1963, "Tell Me The Truth" became a major hit. This led to her performing at the famous Coconut Grove in 1964. This performance was a turning point in her career. TIME magazine said she was "both cool and sweet, both singer and storyteller." In 1964, her song " (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am" became her biggest hit, reaching No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Television and Later Career
Nancy Wilson appeared on many TV shows. She even had her own show on NBC, The Nancy Wilson Show (1967–1968), which won an Emmy. She was a guest on popular shows like I Spy, Hawaii Five-O, The Cosby Show, and The Parkers. She also appeared in films like The Meteor Man (1993).
In the 1980s, she recorded five albums in Japan. She liked recording live, and Japanese labels gave her that chance. She became very popular there and won the annual Tokyo Song Festivals.
Nancy Wilson continued to record music and perform. She worked with many famous jazz musicians like Hank Jones and Ramsey Lewis. In the late 1990s, she started working with MCG Jazz. This program helps young people learn about arts and music.
From 1996 to 2005, Nancy hosted Jazz Profiles on NPR. This show shared stories and music of jazz legends. In 2001, she won a George Foster Peabody Award for the show. Her albums R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) (2005) and Turned to Blue (2007) both won Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Nancy Wilson gave her last public performance on September 10, 2011, at Ohio University. She said, "I'm not going to be doing it anymore, and what better place to end it than where I started – in Ohio."
Awards and Honors
Nancy Wilson received many awards throughout her career.
- In 1964, she won her first Grammy Award for her album How Glad I Am.
- In 1986, she was named the Global Entertainer of the Year by the World Conference of Mayors.
- She received an award from the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in 1993.
- In 1998, she received the NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award.
- She was added to the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1999.
- In 1990, she received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- She received honorary degrees from Berklee College of Music and Central State University.
- A street in her hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio is named after her!
- She helped start the Nancy Wilson Foundation, which helps inner-city children experience nature.
- In 2004, she received the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships award. This is one of the highest honors for jazz musicians in the United States.
- In 2005, she won the NAACP Image Award for Best Recording Jazz Artist.
- She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP and Oprah Winfrey's Legends Award.
In September 2005, Nancy Wilson was honored at the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. She was an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
Personal Life
Nancy Wilson married drummer Kenny Dennis in 1960. They had a son named Kenneth Jr. (Kacy) before they divorced in 1970.
In 1973, Nancy married Reverend Wiley Burton. They had a daughter named Samantha in 1975 and adopted another daughter, Sheryl, in 1976. Nancy balanced her family life with her singing career.
In 1998, both of her parents passed away. She said this was the hardest year of her life.
In 2006, Nancy was hospitalized for health issues but recovered. In 2008, she was hospitalized again for lung problems and recovered. Sadly, her husband, Wiley Burton, passed away that same year from cancer.
Nancy Wilson passed away peacefully at her home in Pioneertown, California, on December 13, 2018, at the age of 81, after a long illness.
Grammy Awards
Nancy Wilson won three Grammy Awards during her career.
- 1965: Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for "How Glad I Am"
- 2005: Best Jazz Vocal Album for R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)
- 2007: Best Jazz Vocal Album for Turned to Blue
Notable Albums
- Like in Love (1959)
- Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley (1962)
- Broadway – My Way (1963)
- Today, Tomorrow, Forever (1964)
- The Nancy Wilson Show! (1965)
- A Lady with a Song (1989)
- With My Lover Beside Me (1991)
- Love, Nancy (1994)
- A Nancy Wilson Christmas (2001)
- R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) (2004)
- Turned to Blue (2006)
Images for kids
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An undated photo of Wilson from the National Archives of Brazil
See also
In Spanish: Nancy Wilson (cantante) para niños
