Nancy Wilson

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Born Feb. 20, 1937 in Chillicothe, Ohio

A distinguished jazz singer who expanded her audience with forays into pop and R&B, Nancy Wilson was still in high school in Columbus, Ohio, when she won a talent contest and began singing in local clubs. She graduated and performed in a big band, then moved to New York in 1959, where she sang in clubs and signed with Capitol Records.

The label released five albums between 1960 and '62, including notable collaborations with Cannonball Adderley and George Shearing. A 1964 engagement at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles cemented her stature, leading to frequent television guest appearances and her own Emmy-winning NBC variety show in 1975.

In her diverse later career she hosted NPR’s “Jazz Profiles” series and won jazz vocal Grammys in 2004 and 2006.

— Richard Cromelin for the Los Angeles Times June 18, 2010

Two thoughts about Nancy Wilson

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Yes, I had the honor of meeting Nancy Wilson yrs. ago while she was performing at the Las Vegas Hilton w/ Bill Cosby. A couple of friends and I were sitting in Bill's dressing room following the show when he asked me how I liked it. I responded "Bill, I have almost every record Nancy Wilson has ever recorded, she was my mom's favorite Singer, and mine all my life." He smiled, took me by the hand and walked me across the hall to her dressing room, knocked on the door, and it like seeing a vision, standing there was the lady I had spent my whole life listening to. Bill said "Nancy, I'd like you to meet Tammy Lee, she has every album you've ever recorded." I said, "I've waited a very long time for you to play Las Vegas. How long has it been, 20 yrs.?" And she said, "Yes, 20 yrs." It was the first time she had performed in Las Vegas since the 60's, and we were there. I was in elementary school at that time. I remember driving down the Strip w/ my mom and dad, we could see the name Nancy on the marquee and were enthusiastically hoping the next word would read Wilson, and it did! Mom and I screamed w/ excitement and that night my dad took us to the show, and took my mom back for the late show. My mom was a Singer, sang w/ Stan Kenton before I was born. She raised me on some of the best music possible, and I too became a Singer. I've seen Nancy perform several other times, another favorite time was w/ Ramsey Lewis. Incredible! The friend I saw her w/ then sent me this article today, knowing my deep love of Nancy's music. :-), some of my fondest memories. ...Nancy Wilson is simply the best!

” — Tammy, February 21, 2015 at 3:57 p.m.

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