Viola Wills
A pre-stardom Barry White began using singer Viola Wills as a session vocalist on sides that he produced for Bob Keane's Bronco/Mustang labels. In the mid-'60s, Keane -- known for hits by Ritchie Valens, the Bobby Fuller Four, and Johnny Crawford of ABC-TV's hit western The Rifleman -- wanted to expand into soul music. In 1965, A&R director White signed Wills to Bronco as a solo artist. She recorded several sides for the label; all failed to chart. In 1969, she recorded a single for the A Bem Soul label that also failed to hit. In 1974, she replaced backup vocalist Claudia Linnear on Joe Cocker's European tour. While in the U.K., Wills recorded for Goodear. Three years later, she signed with Arista Records.
In 1979, while signed to the Ariola/Hansa label, Wills enjoyed her biggest hit with a disco version of Patience and Prudence's 1957 hit "Gonna Get Along Without You." Recording in an uptempo dance Hi-NRG style, Wills scored dancefloor hits with "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Up on the Roof." Wills had a Top 40 U.K. hit with the double-sided hit "Both Sides Now" and "Dare to Dream" on the Wide Angle label.
One of her Bronco singles played an integral part in a number one R&B smash. In the mid-'70s, while working on material for the next Love Unlimited album, group member Glodean James suggested to producer Barry White that he use the piano introduction from Wills' "Lost Without the Love of My Guy" on a new song. At first resistant to the idea because he didn't want to repeat himself, White relented. He reused the piano chord progression from "Lost Without the Love of My Guy" on "I Belong to You." The majestic ballad went to number one R&B in late 1974. It was included on the album In Heat and on Best of Love Unlimited.
Though Wills hasn't had a mainstream U.S. hit to date, her singles are popular in dance clubs and a number of her recordings are floating around, including "No News Is News," "House Is Not a Home," "If You Could Read My Mind," "Let's Love Now," "Take One Step Forward" (by Wills and Noel McCalla), and "Always Something There to Remind Me."
© Ed Hogan /TiVo
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If You Could Read My Mind
Disco - Pubblicato da High Fashion Music il 14 ago 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
If You Could Read My Mind
Dance - Pubblicato da High Fashion Music il 7 mar 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hits Anthology
Disco - Pubblicato da Essential Media Group il 19 nov 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gonna Get Along Without You Now
Pop - Pubblicato da Burning Girl Productions il 1 gen 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Lost Tapes
Vicki Sue Robinson, Viola Wills, Cinema
Elettronica - Pubblicato da Perfect Sound il 14 apr 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gonna Get Along Without You
Dance - Pubblicato da UNIDISC MUSIC INC. il 1 gen 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of
Disco - Pubblicato da Harlequin Recording Group il 8 set 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dare to Dream
R&B - Pubblicato da Harlequin Recording Group il 1 gen 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Disco Diva Vol. 2
Disco - Pubblicato da Essential Media Group il 5 set 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Women in Jazz: Viola Wills
Vocal jazz - Pubblicato da Music Manager il 7 feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Viola Wills
Pop - Pubblicato da Dressed 2 Kill - OMP il 13 giu 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gonna Get Along Without You Now (1994 Version)
Elettronica - Pubblicato da Essential Media Group il 1 gen 1979
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
If You Could Read My Mind
Elettronica - Pubblicato da Essential Media Group il 1 gen 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Dare to Dream (Remixes)
Elettronica - Pubblicato da Harlequin Recording Group il 1 apr 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Enjoy Yourself
Elettronica - Pubblicato da Harlequin Recording Group il 12 ago 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Soul Soothers -15 Mellow Jazz Moments
Starlite Singers, Countdown Singers, Viola Wills
Jazz - Pubblicato da Music Manager il 27 feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Viola Wills Greatest Hits
Dance - Pubblicato da StreamWorld Entertainment Classics il 23 mar 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beautiful Today
Jazz - Pubblicato da Music Manager il 19 dic 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo