Viola Wills

A pre-stardom <a href="spotify:artist:3rfgbfpPSfXY40lzRK7Syt">Barry White</a> began using singer Viola Wills as a session vocalist on sides that he produced for Bob Keane's <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bronco%22">Bronco</a>/<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mustang%22">Mustang</a> labels. In the mid-'60s, Keane -- known for hits by <a href="spotify:artist:5Y9xEAGW4GwGJgbiI6W85P">Ritchie Valens</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5XoM6cP8fQykllfuK5V5TR">the Bobby Fuller Four</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:48QdHdRanCXdBt6lygsDES">Johnny Crawford</a> of ABC-TV's hit western The Rifleman -- wanted to expand into soul music. In 1965, A&R director <a href="spotify:artist:3rfgbfpPSfXY40lzRK7Syt">White</a> signed Wills to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bronco%22">Bronco</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:3pFCERyEiP5xeN2EsPXhjI">Joe Cocker</a>'s European tour. While in the U.K., Wills recorded for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Goodear%22">Goodear</a>. Three years later, she signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Arista+Records%22">Arista Records</a>.

In 1979, while signed to the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Ariola%22">Ariola</a>/<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Hansa%22">Hansa</a> label, Wills enjoyed her biggest hit with a disco version of <a href="spotify:artist:4F78tRprgxpEnopKTTWXor">Patience and Prudence</a>'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 <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bronco%22">Bronco</a> singles played an integral part in a number one R&B smash. In the mid-'70s, while working on material for the next <a href="spotify:artist:2M4KXzgedR4EKG4qgTeDKa">Love Unlimited</a> album, group member Glodean James suggested to producer <a href="spotify:artist:3rfgbfpPSfXY40lzRK7Syt">Barry White</a> 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, <a href="spotify:artist:3rfgbfpPSfXY40lzRK7Syt">White</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:3ihCxMgACubCcmoXbhhfKC">Noel McCalla</a>), and "Always Something There to Remind Me." ~ Ed Hogan