music.wikisort.org - Singer

Viola Mae Wilkerson (December 30, 1939 – May 6, 2009)[1][2] was an American pop singer, best known for the 1979 UK Singles Chart number 8 hit[3] and U.S. Hot Dance Club Play number 52 hit, "Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now". Other hits included further covers of the songs, "Both Sides Now" (number 35 UK)[3] (1986), and "If You Could Read My Mind" (number 2 US Hot Dance Club Play) (1980).

Viola Wills
Birth name	Viola Mae Wilkerson
Born	December 30, 1939[1] Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	May 6, 2009 (aged 69)[1] Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Genres	Funk, disco, dance
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1965–2009
Labels	High Fashion Music
Website	http://www.violawills.com/

Early career

Born Viola Mae Wilkerson in the Watts district of South Los Angeles, Wills was married in her teens. She was the mother of six children before the age of 21. In 1965, she was discovered by Barry White who signed her to Bronco Records and renamed her with the shorter stage surname of Wills; from her first marriage name of Lyons.[2] She started her career at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and, over the following years, in addition to working with White, also performed with Joe Cocker, Smokey Robinson and many other established recording artists of the era. It was while working in London as one of Cocker's backing vocalists (dubbed the "Sanctified Sisters") that she worked on and released her solo debut album of self-penned originals titled Soft Centres, backed by Cocker's session players.[4]

Later career

Wills' first major break into the mainstream came in 1979 with her cover version of "Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now" (the song's release date was May 14, 1979) which started a string of dance hits.[4] All three of the songs landed Wills in the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles.[4] In 1982, her cover of "Stormy Weather" peaked at number 4 in the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart.[4] Later in 1983, the newly formed record label RVA (Robert Viola Ashmun), released a number of songs, including "Wall", "Space" and "If These Walls Could Speak".

A demand for 1980s music brought Wills back to Europe.[4] She appeared on Top of the Pops (October 11, 1979), Pebble Mill, Soul Train (October 30, 1971 [Season 1, Episode 5] where she performed the song "Sweetback"), Later... with Jools Holland, Ronnie Scott's, Never Mind the Buzzcocks (February 17, 2003 [Season 12, Episode 7]). Wills had a residency at Joogleberry Playhouse in Brighton.[4] Here she was backed on occasion by Brighton based pianist Tom Phelan and jazz guitarist Shane Hill. She also appeared with the soul fusion band Gonzalez.^{[citation needed]}

Although Wills did not have a mainstream U.S hit she was popular among the nation's gay community and her singles were popular in dance clubs. A number of her recordings are found on various compilations. Thes songs include "No News Is News", "A House Is Not a Home", "If You Could Read My Mind", "Up on the Roof", "Somebody's Eyes", "Love Pains", "Let's Love Now", "Take One Step Forward" (by Wills and Noel McCalla), and "Always Something There to Remind Me".[5] Her vocals also featured on My Friend Sam's 1992 house track "It's My Pleasure" which later appeared on the Renaissance: The Mix Collection (1994).

Personal life and death

On February 21, 1982 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; she married Robert Chappell Ashmun. This was her second marriage. Later in 1983, the new husband and wife pair formed the record label RVA (Robert Viola Ashmun).

Wills died of cancer on May 6, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona.[6] Her funeral was held at the Macedonia Abbey Baptist Church in Los Angeles on May 15, 2009.[4]

Viola left behind six children - Vincent, Christopher, Regina, Ladonna, David and Rejal, 21 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Label	AUS [7]
1974	Soft Centers	Goodear Records	—
1980	If You Could Read My Mind	Hansa	76
1983	Space	RVA Records	—
1986	Dare to Dream	Wide Angle	—
1994	Gonna Get Along Without You	Unidisc	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions							Certifications
		US Dance [8]	UK [9]	AUS [7]	NZ [10]	NLD [11]	BEL [12]	FRA [13]
1966	"I Got Love" / "Lost Without the Love of My Guy"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1967	"Don't Kiss Me Hello and Mean Goodbye" / "Together Forever"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1969	"I've Got News For You" / "Sweetback"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1974	"Day in the Life of a Woman" / "Some Other Day"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1977	"Let's Love Now" / "Let's Love Now" (Disco Version)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1979	"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" / "Your Love"	52	8	37	3	7	2	38	BPI: Silver[14]
1980	"If You Could Read My Mind" / "Up on the Roof"	2	—	80	—	5	23	—
1981	"I Can't Stay Away from You" / "If You Leave Me Now"[15]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1982	"Stormy Weather"	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
1984	"If These Walls Could Speak"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1985	"Both Sides Now" / "Dare to Dream"	—	35	—	—	—	—	—
1986	"Hot for You" / "Love Transfusion"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989	"Love Pains"	—	—	—	—	—	27	—
1990	"Don't Stop the Train" (duet with Phyllis Nelson)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1993	"I Can See Clearly Now"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994	"No News Is News" / "A House Is Not a Home"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

External links

• Viola Wills at AllMusic
• Viola Wills discography at Discogs
• Viola Wills at IMDb
• Viola Wills at Soul Walking

На других языках

---

- [en] Viola Wills

---

[es] Viola Wills

Viola Wills (30 de diciembre de 1939 - 6 de mayo de 2009) fue una cantante estadounidense, mayoritariamente conocida por su sencillo de 1979 ubicado en el puesto #8[1] en UK Singles Chart y en el #52[2]Hot Dance Club Play, "Gonna Get Along Without You Now". Otros sencillos que realizó fueron versiones de otros artistas como "Both Sides, Now" de Judy Collins (#35 UK) (1986), e "If You Could Read My Mind" de Gordon Lightfoot (#2 EE. UU. Hot Dance Club Play) (1980)

---

---