Nancy Sue Wilson, born February 20th, 1937, was destined for a life in music from a young age. Her mother Lillian Ryan and her father Olden Wilson would play records of singers such as Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine, and many others which influenced and fueled her love for music.

Music was a huge part of her childhood, which makes a lot of sense, seeing where she ended up. Wilson was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, and was the first of her six siblings.

A large aspect of Wilson’s life was her religion and relationship with the church. At church, she discovered her talent and passion for singing. She known for imitating famous female singers and being exceptional for her age and lack of experience/training. Her family said that by age four, she knew that she wanted to be a singer when she grew up.

At fifteen, Wilson made local television for winning her school’s talent show which was sponsored by ABC. Because of her success in the contest, she was able to appear on the television show. Her appearance gave her a small leeway into the industry. Wilson went on to graduate high school early, focusing on her studies and holding side jobs. After high school, she went to Central State University for a year and ultimately dropped out after a year to pursue her aspirations.

Instead, she went on to audition for a spot for Rusty Bryant’s Carolyn Club Big Band and won! She toured with them for two years and during that time caught the attention of producers at Dot Records.