Nancy Wilson

Nancy Wilson

Booking Nancy Wilson

To book Nancy Wilson or another Blues & Jazz artist for your private party, corporate event, fundraiser or other function, please fill out our Artist Request Form to quickly connect with one of our Booking Agents.

The staff of Headline Booking Group will work with you to produce a memorable event. Get started now by filling out our no-obligation Artist Request Form and we will work with you to book Nancy Wilson or another Blues & Jazz artist for your event.


Biography

Nancy Wilson’s musical style is so diverse that it is hard to classify. Over the years her repertoire has included pop style ballads, jazz and blues, show tunes and well known standards.
In 1959, Nancy moved to New York City, allotting herself six months to attain her goals. She wanted Cannonball’s manager, John Levy, to represent her, and she wanted Capitol Records as her label. Within four weeks of her arrival in New York she got her first big break, a call to fill in for Irene Reid at The Blue Morocco. Nancy did so well that the club booked her on a permanent basis; she was singing four nights a week and working as a receptionist during the day.

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Nancy’s debut single, Guess Who I Saw Today, was so successful that between April of 1960 and July of 1962 Capitol Records released five Nancy Wilson albums. Two of those remain in-demand reissues to this day: The Swingin’s Mutual with George Shearing (1961) and Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley (1962), and earned her a permanent star in the jazz constellation. In 1963 Tell Me The Truth became her first truly major hit, leading up to her performance at the Coconut Grove in 1964 _ the turning pointing of her career garnering critical acclaim from coast to coast.

Nancy was seen performing on variety shows (The Andy Williams Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Flip Wilson Show, and others) and for one season she had her own popular television program, The Nancy Wilson Show (NBC) that won an Emmy in 1975.

After years with Capitol, during many of which she was second in sales only to the Beatles, surpassing even Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, the Beach Boys, and early idol Nat King Cole, the business had changed providing Nancy with an opportunity to seek out projects that allowed her to express the maturity that she acquired throughout her then 55 years of life. One of the more interesting albums from her later period came about in 1991, when singer Barry Manilow was given a sheath full of lyrics written by the late Johnny Mercer which the great songwriter had never put to music. Manilow added melodies and chose Nancy to sing the resultant songs.
Nancy gave the world of music another gift _ R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) _ which was released on August 25, 2004. Receiving gifts in return, R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) won the 2005 GRAMMY_ Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album and the 2005 NAACP Image Award for Best Jazz Artist. (This was her second GRAMMY_, the first being in 1964 for How Glad I Am, and her second Image Award, the first being in 1986.) Other honors Nancy has received include a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, streets and days dedicated in her name, honorary doctorate degrees, and in 2005, the UNCF Trumpet Award celebrating African-American achievement, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP in Chicago, and Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Award. Her third CD on the MCG Jazz label, Turned To Blue (released in August 2006), brought her a third Grammy award.

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