* En anglais uniquement
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