Nancy Wilson: A Living Legend of Jazz

Nancy Wilson was born in the small town of Chillicothe, Ohio on February 20, 1937, and eventually became one of the greatest female jazz vocalists to come out of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Growing up, Nancy listened to legends such as Nat “King” Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, and Carmen McRae, to name just a few. Those influences in Nancy’s life played a major role in the development of her career as a jazz vocalist, which is still very much alive today. 

As a small child, Nancy moved with her family to Columbus, Ohio, and by the age of four, knew that she would someday become a professional singer. Perhaps this was due to the great idols Nancy had as a child – some of the greatest musicians in modern time. She was born at a perfect time in America’s history for the cultivation of new musical forms. The jazz and swing styles were taking the nation by storm, and she was immersed in this great music since childhood, soaking up everything she could learn.

Nancy started her formal training as a singer in her church choir, like many other vocalists had done before her. When seeking vocal instruction at age twelve, she was told that her voice was too young, and that it would change (but by the time she was twenty-two, it was still the same). At age fifteen, she competed in a talent competition in which she won her own television series called “Skyline Melodies.” After graduating high school, she continued on to college. While in school, she earned money by singing, and realized that it would not be an easy road ahead if she chose to enter the music business (especially for a woman). Nancy was a very studious and successful student in school, but to the disappointment of her family, she soon left college life to become a professional singer.

Nancy joined Rusty Bryant’s Carolyn Club Band in 1956, and made her first record under Dot Records with the group. One time, she had a chance to sit in with the famous alto saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderly. He helped Nancy find her first manager, John Levy, who was also Cannonball’s manager. John Levy had previously managed Nat “King” Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Johnny Mercer, so naturally Nancy was thrilled to work with him. Her first solo album, Like In Love, was recorded in 1959 with Capitol Records, when Nancy was just twenty-two years old. Her first big hit came in 1962 with “Save Your Love For Me,” in which Cannonball Adderly played in the background.

Her following albums, Something Wonderful, The Swingin’s Mutual, and Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderly were the albums that made her known as a jazz singer. “Guess Who I Saw Today” is one of Nancy’s most famous and requested songs, which was included on her 1965 album The Nancy Wilson, recorded at Los Angeles’ famed Coconut Grove. In 1962 and 1963, Nancy made her move from jazz to the pop genre. Her subsequent three albums, Hello Young Lovers, Broadway My Way, and Hollywood My Way contained pop standards like “Getting to Know You,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” and “Moon River.” “When Did You Leave Heaven,” included on her Hollywood My Way album, also became a favorite request of her fans, and was an integral part of her stage performances.

In retrospect, Nancy’s most successful chart LP was Yesterday’s Love Songs/Today’s Blues, recorded early in 1964. She worked on the album with trumpeter and arranger Gerald Wilson (unrelated), with whom she had worked on earlier sessions at Capitol Records. Yesterday’s Love Songs/Today’s Blues reached number four on the national pop charts, which was an amazing feat since none of the songs got any airplay. Nancy made over thirty records with Capitol Records and was their second-biggest moneymaker of the 1960’s, next to the Beatles.

In 1982, Nancy signed with Columbia Records, where she remained for seventeen years. During that time, she produced fourteen albums, and five more where she was featured on other Columbia artists’ albums. “With My Lover Beside Me” was a tribute to the man who first signed her to Capitol Records, Johnny Mercer. Mercer had written the lyrics, but they weren’t discovered until after his death. His wife sent the lyrics to Barry Manilow, who then wrote the music. Nancy recorded the song (a duet with Barry Manilow), and it soon became a favorite of both Nancy and her fans.

Throughout her whole career, Nancy Wilson has recorded a total of sixty albums. She has won a Grammy, an Emmy, and countless other awards for her work on television, movies, and commercials, and for her educational accomplishments. But her career as a musician is far from over. She has recently released a Christmas album, and many of her older albums have been re-released. She still performs, mostly for television and radio, and plans to continue to perform and record for as long as she is able, and as long as her fans are still there.