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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 15 december 2018

Nancy Wilson, Grammy winning jazz singer, dies at 81

By ANDREW DALTON career on television, film
HILLEL ITALIE and radio, her credits in-
Associated Press cluding “Hawaii Five-O,”
Nancy Wilson, the Gram- ‘’Police Story,” the Robert
my-winning “song stylist” Townsend spoof “Meteor
and torch singer whose Man” and years hosting
polished pop-jazz vocals NPR’s “Jazz Profiles” series.
made her a platinum artist Active in the civil rights
and top concert perform- movement, including the
er, has died. Selma march of 1965, she
Wilson, who retired from received an NAACP Image
touring in 2011, died after Award in 1998. Wilson was
a long illness at her home married twice — to drum-
in Pioneertown, a Califor- mer Kenny Dennis, whom
nia desert community near she divorced in 1970; and
Joshua Tree National Park, to Wiley Burton, who died
her manager and publicist in 2008. She had three chil-
Devra Hall Levy told The dren. Born in Chillicothe,
Associated Press late Thurs- Ohio, the eldest of six chil-
day night. She was 81. dren of an iron foundry
Influenced by Dinah Wash- worker and a maid, Wilson
ington, Nat “King” Cole sang in church as a girl and
and other stars, Wilson cov- by age 4 had decided on
ered everything from jazz In this Oct. 28, 2007 file photo, Nancy Wilson, left, and Terence Blanchard, right, perform during an her profession. She was in
standards to “Little Green all-star tribute concert for Herbie Hancock, in Los Angeles. high school when she won
Apples” and in the 1960s Associated Press a talent contest sponsored
alone released eight al- She resisted being identi- Wilson’s dozens of albums mance, and she later won by a local TV station and
bums that reached the fied with a single category, included a celebrated col- Grammys for best jazz vo- was given her own pro-
top 20 on Billboard’s pop especially jazz, and referred laboration with Cannonball cal album in 2005 for the gram. After briefly attend-
charts. Sometimes elegant to herself as a “song stylist.” Adderley, “Nancy Wilson/ intimate “R.S.V.P (Rare ing Central State College,
and understated, or quick “The music that I sing to- Cannonball Adderley,” a Songs, Very Personal)” and she toured Ohio with the
and conversational and a day was the pop music of small group setting which in 2007 for “Turned to Blue,” Rusty Bryant’s Carolyn Club
little naughty, she was best the 1960s,” she told The San understandably could be a showcase for the relaxed, Big Band and met such jazz
known for such songs as her Francisco Chronicle in 2010. called jazz; “Broadway — confident swing she mas- artists as Adderley, who en-
breakthrough “Guess Who I “I just never considered my- My Way”; “Lush Life”; and tered later in life. The Na- couraged her to move to
Saw Today” and the 1964 self a jazz singer. I do not “The Nancy Wilson Show!” tional Endowment for the New York. She soon had a
hit “(You Don’t Know) How do runs and — you know. a best-selling concert re- Arts awarded her a “Jazz regular gig at The Blue Mo-
Glad I Am,” which drew I take a lyric and make it cording. “How Glad I Am” Masters Fellowship” in 2004 rocco, and got in touch
upon Broadway, pop and mine. I consider myself an brought her a Grammy in for lifetime achievement. with Adderley’s manager,
jazz. interpreter of the lyric.” 1965 for best R&B perfor- Wilson also had a busy John Levy.q

Breakthrough Entertainer: ‘Insecure’ star Natasha Rothwell

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. ence felt as a passionate “Wonder Woman 1984,”
Associated Press teacher with strong opin- which will arrive in theaters
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Na- ions. Rothwell says both in summer 2020.
tasha Rothwell claims she roles helped her become Rothwell also will appear
is shy in real life, but her more confident in her skin alongside Tiffany Haddish
scene-stealing supporting as a woman. and Rose Byrne in the com-
roles in HBO’s hit show “In- “I get to put on someone edy “Limited Partners,” set
secure” and the film “Love, who is truly unapologetic in for next year. She’s also
Simon” have proven other- every aspect of life,” said writing the upcoming film
wise. Rothwell, a former drama “Bridal Recall,” which fo-
Rothwell’s outspoken TV teacher in New York who cuses on a woman who
character, Kelli, shines with used to write for “Saturday wakes up with amnesia on
witty one-liners and brash Night Live.” She is also a co- her wedding day.
behavior, sometimes even producer on “Insecure.” In the future, Rothwell wants
more than “Insecure” se- “As a black woman, I feel to play a lead in a romantic
ries’ star Issa Rae. like much of my young comedy and do animation
One of her most epic mo- adult life I was trying to voiceover work.
ments came during an epi- apologize for being black “I’m not afraid to be a
sode when Kelli urinates on or being a woman,” she superhero,” she said be-
herself after police used a added. “Kelli is someone fore bursting into laughter.
stun gun on her after get- who has never known that. “What continues to be true
ting kicked out of Coachel- Now, as a woman, I’m about the projects that I’m
la because of a fight. proud on both sides.” drawn to is: Am I working
In “Love, Simon,” Rothwell’s Rothwell, 38, will have the with people who inspire
screen time was limited in opportunity to grow even me, does the material chal-
the romantic teen come- In this Oct. 23, 2018 photo, actress Natasha Rothwell poses for a more. She will join the lenge me, excite me and
portrait in Los Angeles.
dy, but she made her pres- Associated Press cast of the Gal Gadot-led say something?”q