Nancy Wilson

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Nancy Lamoureaux Wilson (born March 16, 1954) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and film composer.

She rose to fame alongside her older sister, singer Ann Wilson, as a guitarist and backing vocalist in the rock band Heart, which she joined in 1974. Raised near Seattle, Washington in the suburb of Bellevue, Wilson began playing music as a teenager.

During college, she joined her sister Ann, who had recently begun a tenure as the singer of Heart.

The first hard rock band fronted by women, Heart released numerous albums throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, beginning with Dreamboat Annie (1975), and Little Queen (1977), both of which generated chart singles such as "Magic Man", "Crazy on You", and "Barracuda".

The band also had commercial success later on, especially with their eighth, ninth and tenth studio albums, Heart, Bad Animals and Brigade, which were released in 1985, 1987, and 1990.

Over the duration of their career, Heart has sold well over 35 million records.Wilson has been lauded for her guitar playing, noted for its blending elements of flamenco and classical guitar styles with hard rock.

In 2016, Gibson ranked Wilson the eighth-greatest female guitarist of all time.

She is also an accomplished singer in her own right, being the lead vocalist in the song "These Dreams", which became Heart's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100.

Early life

Nancy Lamoureaux Wilson was born March 16, 1954, in San Francisco, California, the third and youngest child of John Wilson (d. 2000), and Lois Mary Wilson (née Dustin; d. 2006). She has two older sisters, Lynn and Ann. Both of Wilson's parents were natives of Oregon—her father from Corvallis, and her mother from Oregon City. Her middle name is derived from her grandmother, Beatrice Lamoureaux. Wilson is of French and Scottish descent. She was raised in Southern California and Taiwan before the family's U.S. Marine Corps father retired to the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington, where they relocated when Wilson was six years old. The family lived in a Colonial home in the Lake Hills neighborhood.

On February 9, 1964, Wilson and her sister Ann saw The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show, a moment they each recalled as being profoundly influential: "The lightning bolt came out of the heavens and struck Ann and me the first time we saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show... There'd been so much anticipation and hype about The Beatles that it was a huge event, like the lunar landing; that was the moment Ann and I heard the call to become rock musicians. I was seven or eight at the time (sic).... Right away, we started doing air guitar shows in the living room, faking English accents, and studying all the fanzines." On August 25, 1966, The Beatles performed at the Seattle Center Coliseum, a show which Wilson, her sister Ann, and bandmates attended, another event both recalled as influential in their early lives.

Although Ann Wilson attended Sammamish High School in Bellevue, where her father was an English teacher, Nancy attended Interlake High School. After graduating from high school in 1972 and prior to joining Heart, Wilson attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, for one year, majoring in art and German, before transferring to Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. In late 1973, Wilson returned to Seattle, transferring to the University of Washington.

Personal life

Wilson dated bandmates Roger Fisher and Michael Derosier during the early years of Heart. In 1981, Wilson's friend Kelly Curtis introduced her to screenwriter Cameron Crowe; Wilson married him on July 27, 1986. After numerous failed fertility treatments, Wilson and Crowe conceived via an egg donor and surrogate, and the surrogate gave birth to twin sons, Curtis Wilson and William "Billy" James Crowe, in January 2000. The marriage ended in divorce in 2010, with the couple citing irreconcilable differences.

In 2011, Wilson began dating Geoff Bywater, who worked in music production on television shows for Fox. They were engaged in 2012 and married on April 28, 2012, in Mill Valley, California.

On the morning of August 27, 2016, Ann Wilson's husband, Dean Wetter, was arrested for physically assaulting Nancy Wilson's 16-year-old twin sons. The incident took place during a Heart performance at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, Washington the previous night. The sisters' relationship was strained by the incident. Wetter pleaded guilty to two nonfelony assault charges in the fourth degree. Nancy Wilson later commented: "I'm an eternal optimist because I'm from a really strong, tight family, and I don't think any drama that's temporary is going to change our strong relationship. We just have to get through this first. It's been kind of a nightmare." In February 2019, Heart announced that its hiatus had ended and that the band would embark on the Love Alive tour in the summer.

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Career

The Wilson sisters' friends joined them in the formation of The Viewpoints, the Wilson brothers' first music group. The Viewpoints were a four-part harmony vocal group. Ann bought her first guitar, a Kent acoustic, with money she received from her grandmother later this year. Wilson's parents bought Nancy a smaller guitar, but she discovered that it would not stay in tune, so she began playing Ann's Kent guitar. In 1967, the Viewpoints' first public display was a folk festival on Vashon Island. "We didn't get paid," Wilson said, but "we did get paid," we felt it was a professional occupation." The band appeared at drive-ins, auto shows, and church gatherings.

On Mother's Day at their church, the Wilsons' public debut as a pair took place. The pair performed "The Great Mandala (The Wheel of Life)" by Peter, Paul and Mary, Elvis Presley's "Crying in the Chapel," and "When the Music's Over" later at a church Youth Day function. A number of people were offended by the anti-war sentiment and the irreverence for the venue in some of the songs. More than half of the people walked out by the time they were finished. Wilson felt some guilt over the day, but "it lit a bonfire underneath us" because we learned for the first time that what we did on stage could have a big effect on an audience."

Ann, a senior in high school, discovered a country songwriter who needed a backing band to perform on his songwriting demos; Wilson and sister Ann joined a recording studio in Seattle to record the demos. The engineer allowed them to record the song "Through Eyes and Glass," which Nancy and Ann had written during the session. The engineer had his own record company and loved their songs enough that he wanted to make up 500 copies "for a few bucks." The B-side of Nancy and Ann's debut single "I'm Gonna Drink My Hurt Away" appeared on the country's B-side. It was credited to Ann Wilson and the Daybreaks, although not the band's name, and it had dropped Nancy as a co-songwriter. The sisters were returned 250 new copies of the book later this year.

Wilson appeared at student unions as a solo acoustic shows, as well as occasional originals.

Ann Wilson's sister, Roger Fisher, and bass player Steve Fossen (of the local band The Army), responded to their call for a drummer and a singer when she answered their call. They were captivated by her vociferous abilities. Ann joined the Hocus Pocus group within an hour of meeting them.

Heart was reformed within a few months. Nancy Martin, who was pressed by her sister, joined the band and moved to West Vancouver. Wilson recalls that "some of the guys" in the band were initially resistant to her joining, and she pleaded with her to audition regularly. She was given the opportunity to assist with the introduction of Yes's "Clap" (from The Yes Album). She learned it, and the next night, after playing it with the band at a tavern, she was officially welcomed to the band.

A while back, the band had filmed a demo with Mushroom Records, and producer Mike Flicker remembered them. Nancy was regarded as a "diamond in the rough," but she was intrigued by the prospect of a female rock guitarist.

"Magic Man" was released as a single on Mushroom Records before Heart's debut album, Dreamboat Annie, was complete. The song has received airplay in and around Vancouver. In May 1977, Portrait Records released Little Queen, the band's second official studio album. The album spawned the song "Barracuda," which debuted at number 11 on the Billboard charts, spawning the album's "Barracuda." Magazine, the band's third official release, was released pre-emptively by Mushroom the following year; it contained eight tracks, some of which had been unfinished; the band requested an injunction and Magazine was suspended after 50,000 copies had already been sold. The controversy over the record lasted almost two years.

Wilson and the crew travelled to Berkeley, California, where Sue Ennis, her friend, was studying to earn a PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. Ennis became a writing partner on the group's fourth book, Dog & Butterfly, which was written in a single day. The album was released in October 1978 and it was selling a million copies in a month's first month. It remained on the charts for the better part of a year before it became a triple-platinum album. It was the band's fourth million-selling album in a row.

Wilson and Fisher, who were a couple at the time, became dissatisfied on their tour to help Dog & Butterfly. Wilson started seeing Michael Derosier after learning that Fisher had cheated on her. This resulted in increased tensions between the band members, which culminated in Fisher destroying a guitar onstage and throwing a portion of it at Wilson in a dressing room. Wilson was voted out of office by the group in October 1979, and the group was voted out of office by that time; this development gave Wilson Wilson the opportunity to play more lead guitar.

Bébé le Strange, Heart's fifth album, was released on Valentine's Day 1980. Private Audition, the band's sixth album, was released in June 1982 and sold only 400,000 copies; it debuted at number 25 on Billboard. This was considered a flop by the artist's series of platinum and gold albums. However, Heart continued to do well with concert sales, and the eighth-best-grossing tour of the year was held. Wilson's tensions between Wilson and drummer Derosier had risen after several breakups, and both bassist Fossen and the band had decided to leave the band during this period. They were both recalled by bassist Mark Andes and drummer Denny Carmassi over the next year.

Private Audition's lackluster results in the band's new album, Passionworks (1983), are gaining attention for the band's new album, Passionworks (1983). During this period, opioids became a determining factor in the band's existence. Wilson recalls: "Everything we did in those years had a white sheen of powder over it." We had only a few people on our crew, or band, who resisted. Cocaine was all over the albums, the films, and our lives. All the humour out of our music was taken out by Cocaine. The videos we made were completely unintentional, but they were so serious that they had a comedic feel." CBS pulled the band due to a lack of interest after the launch of Passionworks.

Heart (1985), the band's first number-one album, was entitled Heart (1985). "What About Love" was released as a single ahead of the album; it became a hit, and it has made it to the pop charts. The album remained on the charts for 78 weeks until being named five-time platinum. The album had five hit singles, including "These Dreams," which featured Nancy Wilson on lead vocals. After Stevie Nicks had turned it down, "These Dreams" had been submitted to the band. Wilson, though she hadn't written it, loved the song from the start. She was forced to perform it because some band members thought it "did not sound like a Heart song." They received a letter from Sharon Hess, a 22-year-old fan who was dying of leukemia, during the taping session. Nancy and Ann were one of Nancy's wishes, and she arrived on "These Dreams" the same day as Nancy's vocals. In the album notes, Sharon adored the song and Wilson dedicated it to her. Sharon died only a few days after the final mixes were complete. On March 22, 1986, Heart's first number-one single "These Dreams" became Heart's first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Bad Animals (1987) was preceded by the single "Alone"; it became the band's second number one hit and the country's second-biggest single of the year. They had something they didn't have with the Heart album: a number one single before the tour started or the album was released. Wilson recalled, "We were following on success, not building to it." In May 1987, the Bad Animals tour would begin in Europe, and all the dates were sold out, including three dates at Wembley Arena. Ann began to have moments of anxiety and stage fright during the tour. To save Ann's time, she will have to step forward and play an unscheduled guitar solo, or other ruses. In 1989, work on the following album, Brigade, began.

During the Gulf War, Wilson and his sister Ann were invited to attend a Red Cross service for the troops. The promoter wanted Heart to perform, but the majority of the band had been disbanded after the Brigade tour. Sue Ennis and another friend, Frank Cox, were compelled by Nancy and Ann to join and participate in the one-time festival. Lovemongers, the band's name, emerged as a counter to war-mongering sentiment surrounding the Gulf War. Ennis programmed a rhythm track into her keyboard, and the band brought a cardboard cutout of Ringo Starr out on stage as a joke, since the band was lacking a drummer. Mookie Blaylock, Wilson's husband Cameron Crowe's film directed by Wilson's wife, played Singles (1992) — a local Seattle band called Mookie Blaylock (the band was later renamed Pearl Jam). In late 1992, a four-song EP, which included a live version of Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore" and an updated version of the Heart standard "Crazy On You," came out. On the original soundtrack for the 1992 film Singles, a photo of "The Battle of Evermore" appeared on the original soundtrack.

Heart's Rock the House Live! album, which revolved songs on the Brigade tour in 1990, appeared on October 1991. By this time, Grunge had firmly staked music, and the album's lack of major hits accounted for its 107th rank on the Billboard charts.

Desire Walks On was released in November 1993 and peaked on Billboard at number 48. It was far from flop – it earned gold medal recognition in August 1995 – but it was also far from the multiplatinum accolades that had been released.

Capitol Records have been one more album in honor of Heart. Since their Lovemongers shows had such a positive response, they decided to release an "unplugged" album. Many pop stars were recruited to contribute to the album titled The Road Home. Led Zeppelin's producer, John Paul Jones, was a producer; Alice Staley and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden both contributed; Layne Staley of Alice in Chains and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden also contributed. According to the United States, the album reached number 87 on the US charts at number 87. The organisation was decommissioned by Capitol after Billboard 200, and the party was largely ignored by Capitol.

Wilson requested that Heart be on hiatus in 1995. Wilson said she wanted to spend more time with husband Cameron Crowe on film scores and start a family. Wilson was 41 and undergoing fertility treatments at a time when it was impossible to plan around a rock tour and appearances.

Wilson had appeared in Crowe's Fast Times in Cars, then had a small speaking role in The Wild Life. She also performed some guitar tracks for Crowe's 1989 film Say Anything... and the original song "All For Love." Wilson became more involved in Jerry Maguire, Crowe's latest film, and decided that she would write the film score.

Wilson was not entirely dormant as a performer during her time with Heart; she participated in the occasional Lovemongers Festival, but she said that her fertility treatments made performing increasingly difficult. Wilson appeared in 1996 for the first solo acoustic show in 30 years. In 1999, Kelly Curtis arranged to have Live from McCabe's Guitar Shop released as an album. The album's music is a mash-up of Heart songs, covers (including songs by Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon) and original new tracks. Nancy and Ann started a 12-date tour by van in November 1997 (joking that, "if you blinked, you missed it."

In 1997, the Lovemongers released Whirlygig, a full-length album, and Here is Christmas, a collection of mostly self-penned Christmas songs. In 2001, Christmas was re-released as a Heart album titled Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas.

Wilson wrote the theme and created two original songs for Crowe's 2000 film Almost Famous: "Fever Dog" and "Lucky Trumble." She also served as a technology consultant, advising the actors on how to look and act on stage. Wilson was nominated for a Sierra Award for Best Original Score, a PFCS Award for Best Original Score, and an Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music.

Heart embarked on a trip in 2002. The tour became a family affair, with four children and their nannies adding to the mix of musicians, technical staff, and roadies. Wilson's eight-week tour brought an end to what had been a 10-year absence from touring. The Summer of Love tour ended in Seattle, and the Alive in Seattle DVD was released as the Alive in Seattle DVD, which gained gold status without having an associated album.

Wilson scored the films Vanilla Sky (2001) and Elizabethtown (2005). She was nominated for a Saturn Award for her contribution to Vanilla Sky as well as a prestigious Critics Choice Award for Elizabethtown.

The sisters decided to record Jupiters Darling, the first since 1993, the first since 1993. Wilson, along with guitarist Craig Bartock, who had just joined the band, was co-producer. Except for one, they wrote all the songs for the album but one. Wilson brought Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready to assist in the guitar parts. The album, which was released by Sovereign Records, debuted on the Billboard Top 100, but only 100,000 copies were sold.

Wilson launched Baby Guitars, a solo album aimed at youth, made up of instrumental lullabies written and performed with Craig Bartock in 2009. Wilson began recording Heart's 14th studio album, Red Velvet Car, with Ann in the same year, after completing a tour with Journey and Cheap Trick. The album was released in 2010 and featured two singles by Nancy: "Hey You," which charted the top 40; and "Sunflower," which Nancy wrote for Ann's 60th birthday. The album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and three on the Rock Albums chart, with three others ranked number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and three on the Rock Albums chart. With Nancy now 56 and Ann Ann being about to become a grandmother, the sisters have made it to the top ten charts in four different decades. The band's subsequent tour blasted out and charted on Billboard, just behind Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

Heart was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after completing an international tour with Def Leppard in 2011. Heart was announced to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on December 11, 2012, alongside Rush, Albert King, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Public Enemy, Quincy Jones, and Lou Adler. In September 2012, Nancy and Ann became the first actress to appear on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In October 2012, Heart released its 15th studio album, Fanatic; it debuted on the Billboard 200 in number 24 and ranked 10 on Billboard's Rock Album chart; it debuted at number 10 on Billboard's Top 200.

Wilson started compiling the band's first boxed set, Strange Euphoria, (taken from the band's name).

Wilson's lead vocals on the tracks "Two" and "One Word" were included on Heart's 16th studio album, Beautiful Broken, which features Wilson singing lead vocals on the tracks "Two" and "One Word." Wilson's teenage sons were reportedly assaulted by Ann's husband, Dean Wetter, at a Auburn, Washington, August 26, 2016. Ann confirmed that Heart was on a "indefinite" hiatus as a result of the tragedy.

Wilson formed Roadcase Royale in late 2016, with former Prince band member and R&B singer Liv Warfield, lead guitarist Ryan Waters (the musical director for Liv's solo career and Prince protégé), Heart keyboardist Chris Joyner, bassist Dan Rothchild, and drummer Ben Smith. In January 2017, they unveiled "Get Loud," their first single. The band joined Loud and Proud Records in July 2017 and unveiled their debut full-length album First Things First on September 22, 2017.

Heart announced in February that its hiatus had ended and that the band would begin on the Love Alive tour in the summer of 2019.

You and Me, her first solo studio rock album, came out in 2021.

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