Nancy Wilson, 81, in Pioneer Town, California. She had eight albums reach the top 20 on Billboards album charts during the 1960s and would record more than 70 during her career as a “vocal stylist.” She made a memorable album with Cannonball Adderley, and had hits with “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am” and her debut single “Guess Who I Saw Today”.
She began singing professionally at 15 around her hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio. After a year in teacher college, she decided to devote herself to a music career. She toured for several years with Rusty Bryant’s Carolyn Club Big Band before being advised by Cannonball Adderley to move to New York City.
She signed with Capitol Records in 1959 and had a string of successful albums. She also began to make television appearances and won an Emmy for her own The Nancy Wilson Show. She continued an active career on television, in the studio, and performing worldwide until retiring in 2010, even winning Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album in both 2005 and 2007. She hosted NPR’s Jazz Profiles show from 1996-2005.
