Heart
Biography
Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson are the creative spark behind Heart, a hard rock group who initially found success in the mid-'70s, only to reach greater heights after engineering a major comeback a decade later. The daughters of a Marine Corps captain, Ann (born June 19, 1950) and Nancy (born March 16, 1954) grew up in both Southern California and Taiwan before the Wilson family settled in Seattle, WA. Throughout their formative years, both were interested in folk and pop music; while Ann never took any formal music lessons as a child (she later learned to play several instruments), Nancy took up guitar and flute. After both sisters spent some time at college, they decided to try their hand as professional musicians, and while Nancy began performing as a folksinger, Ann joined the all-male vocal group Heart.
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Heart was actually formed in 1963 by bassist Steve Fossen and brothers Roger Fisher and Mike Fisher; initially dubbed the Army, they later became White Heart before settling on simply Heart at the beginning of the '70s. After her arrival in the group, Ann became romantically involved with guitarist Mike Fisher; when Nancy joined in 1974, she in turn began a relationship with guitarist Roger Fisher. Soon after Nancy's arrival, Mike Fisher retired from active performing to become the band's sound engineer. After gaining a following in Vancouver, Heart was approached by Shelly Siegel, the owner of the Canadian label Mushroom; augmented by keyboardist Howard Leese and drummer Michael Derosier, they recorded their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, in 1975.
After selling more than 30,000 copies north of the border, Mushroom issued the LP in the U.S., where it quickly achieved platinum status on the strength of the hit singles "Crazy on You" and "Magic Man." In 1977, Heart jumped ship to the CBS affiliate Portrait, resulting in a protracted legal battle with Siegel, who in 1978 released the unfinished LP Magazine on Mushroom shortly after the band issued its true follow-up, Little Queen, on Portrait. The single "Barracuda" was another massive hit, and like its predecessor, Little Queen sold over a million copies.
After 1978's Dog & Butterfly, both of the Wilson/Fisher romances ended and Roger Fisher left the group. In 1980, Heart issued Bebe le Strange; following a lengthy U.S. tour, both Fossen and Derosier exited and were replaced by ex-Spirit and Firefall bassist Mark Andes and former Gamma drummer Denny Carmassi. After 1982's Private Audition and 1983's Passionworks slumped, the group was largely written off by industry watchers, and moved to Capitol Records.
In 1985, however, Heart emerged with a self-titled effort that ultimately sold more than five million copies on its way to launching four Top Ten hits: "What About Love?," "Never," the chart-topping "These Dreams," and "Nothin' at All." 1987's Bad Animals continued their comeback success; "Alone" was another number one hit, and both "Who Will You Run To" and "There's the Girl" achieved considerable airplay as well. Brigade, issued in 1990, featured the number two smash "All I Want to Do Is Make Love to You," as well as the Top 25 hits "I Didn't Want to Need You" and "Stranded." In the early '90s, the Wilson sisters took a brief hiatus from Heart to form the Lovemongers, an acoustic quartet fleshed out by Sue Ennis and Frank Cox; in 1992, they issued a four-song EP that included a cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore." Heart returned in 1993 with Desire Walks On, on which Andes and Carmassi were replaced with bassist Fernando Saunders and drummer Denny Fongheiser. With 1995's The Road Home, Heart enlisted onetime Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones to produce a live, acoustic set reprising hits like "Dreamboat Annie," "Crazy on You," and "Barracuda."
Heart went on hiatus by the late '90s, as the Wilson sisters concentrated on the Lovemongers, issuing a pair of albums: 1997's Whirlygig and 1998's Here Is Christmas. But Heart wasn't completely silent: they were the subject of one of the better episodes of VH1's Behind the Music; a pair of best-of sets were issued (1998's Greatest Hits covered their early classics, while their later years were spotlighted on 2000's Greatest Hits: 1985-1995); and their music continued to pop up in movie soundtracks (2000's The Virgin Suicides, among others). In 1999, Nancy released her first solo album, Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop, and a year later penned the score to her husband Cameron Crowe's hit motion picture Almost Famous, while Ann continued to play with others -- in the summer of 2001, she participated in the A Walk Down Abbey Road: A Tribute to the Beatles tour, which also featured Todd Rundgren, John Entwistle (the Who), and Alan Parsons (the Alan Parsons Project). Heart returned to active recording for Jupiters Darling, released on Sovereign Artists in 2004, and issued Dreamboat Annie Live (a live performance of tracks from the band's debut album, recorded in Los Angeles in 2007) three years later. ~ Jason Ankeny & Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
I think their version of the Who song is amazing, though I do need to correct the title of it given by Sarah. It's "Love Reign O'er Me". It's also been done by Pearl Jam. I would also love to find it on a cd or to be downloaded. Ann can sing anything and make it sound the best.
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These 2 girls have been a part of my life since forever and every song they have made has told a story of a part of my life at one time or another and I enjoy listening to such talented girls.
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Recently saw Heart here in Cincinnati with Journey and Cheap Trick at Riverbend Concert Center. They were AWESOME!!! Best group in the lineup! They did a tremendous version of Love Rain on Me originally done by the Who. Does anybody know if it is on any of there albums? I have Little Queen and Dreamboat Annie, don't think it's on either of those.
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I ran into HEART - literally - in the hallway of the Capitol Records Tower in Hollywood. I was working there at the time (early 1980s) and when I walk I usually stare at the floor and not where I'm going. So of course they were headed for the back door and I was staring at my feet and thinking and Wham! I think I steppoed on one of them, can't recall now. But they smiled, said hello, and my face was beet red as I said a meek "hello". It took a while to sink in - I had just met Heart!! Wow.
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Heart is in a league of their own. From the first time I heard them on the radio in the mid 70's till today. Always changing with the times, but always remain in the HEART.
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Wish I would have been able to see you guys last night at Verizon Wireless in Indy.
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I love Heart they are from the same genre as Fleetwood Mac and they are one of the epitomes of great rock and roll
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Favorite song by Heart? Barracuda--M a k e s me wanna dance, and just kick some guy's a**!!!
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Saw them last night at Saratoga Performing Arts Center and they rocked the House!!! Ann your voice is remarkable still!!!
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dude these guys DO NOT BELONG ON A GUNS AND ROSES STATION!!!! I mean they are nothin like G&R
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hey roseanne26.. . . that was sooooooo awesome wasnt it? i saw them all on tour.... remarkable. these ladies still have it!
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Excellent singers! Please check out Ann Wilsons collaboratio n s with Layne Staley(RIP) from Alice in Chains. Beautiful harmonies. "Am I Inside" is one of them. To hear her blast those high notes with Layne will give you the chills.
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I had the opportunity to see Heart with Journey and Cheap Trick! What an awesome show! They have not lost a thing - Ann can sing like there is no end in site and Nancy can play the soup out of her guitar!
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Heart is not a sound, its a feeling way down deep inside. It takes you back to a better time and place (1970's) Thanks Annn and Nancy. Keep rockin!!!
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Heart is not a sound it's a feeling. It gets way down inside you and takes you back to a better time (1970's). Thanks Ann and Nacy! keep rockin!
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saw them in concert with cheap trick and journey they still can rock with the best of them.my son and i had front row seats one of best shows we have seen in a long time.
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I saw my first Heart concert in 1978 and have now seen them 7 times. I can't say enough about Ann's magnificent voice -- there's no female rock voice better. Nancy is awesome on the guitar and mandolin, and not a bad voice also. I miss Roger Fisher's guitar -- the myriad replacements they've used over the years just haven't measured up. I like their new female keyboardist though -- she's good and fun to watch during the show. But it's all about Ann and Nancy, and they put on a fantastic show!
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tking - agree on rock music.....wh a t you describe is to me......just quality music.....ea r candy. and thanks to pandora for this musical time machine!! in recent years, have been singing/play i n g traditional sacred music and some classical... . a l s o discovered movie scores...... m a n y are very good music......j o h n williams, james newton howard, hanns zimmer and many, many others are producing wonderful stuff......b u t contemporary rock......no t so much for me.
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Is it just me. or does this music truelly take you back to a time when life was just...BETTE R ! The 70's and 80's(early anyway) just rocked. The music, the clothes, ol' and if you were a highschool girl in the early to mid 80's (class of 84' myself), GOD BLESS YA! What guy doesn't miss the mid 80's big hair? Back in a time when girls actually cared how they looked. Sorry, back to the purpose of this comment, music today, SUCKS!
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The Wilson sisters are FRICK'IN AWESOME. GOD BLESS THEM. There is no one out here, like the Wilson sisters, and probably will never be. Peace Shay55.
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I saw them at the Ironstone and loved the show! Ann and Nancy are truly the beginning of women in rock and role.
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This is the quintessenti a l ledgend of the age. Ann and Nancy have pioneered a new revolution in pop music. The two sisters are great.
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Saw them two weeks ago in Lake Tahoe with Journey and Cheap Trick. Journey stole the show, but these two ladies were just awesome. Ann still can hit every high and she thrilled the crowd doing so. Nancy is still great at the guitar and her background vocals. These old bands are back with a vengeance and I couldn't belive all the youngsters rockin out to the songs I listened to in the seventies! If you get the chance to see them....take it!
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Went to see "my girls" Anne and Nancy last night at the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine, CA. LOVE THEM!!!!! Try to cath their show anytime they are in the area.....bee n a fan since the 70's.
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I used to have a CD by Heart called "Welcome to my Living Room". This was made years ago. It was a concert done in Seattle I believe and was live. Someone stole it from me and I have been trying to find it again. Has anyone seen or heard this CD?
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i Love Heart but i have never had the chance to see them in person they have never come around close enough for us to see them-- i do love their music
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their heavy rockin vocals are so much better and more original than the high airy style of female artists now.
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Their debut album was remarkable.. . and showed us that girls could learn the guitar as well as sing.
Like most performers, their first album set the standard for the rest to follow... and rarely was reached again. |
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We cover some of their tunes . AweSome . www.highheel t h e b a n d . c o m check us out!!!
Peace BoBBonBaSS <>>< HigH-HeeL the BAND |
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ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS! THEY WILL ALWAYS ROCK!!! THEIR SONGS ARE REALLY GREAT AND YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THEIR MUSIC. THEY ARE UP THERE WITH THE ROLLING STONES! KEEP ROCKING!!
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heart is a great woman group.love them alot from cjw . a fan of heart.
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What a voice, eh. Don't forget that Ann has a new album out, Hope and Glory. I do believe they are all cover songs. But hey to hear Ann sing Led Zepplin's Immigrant Song is worth it. Did anyone see them on A & E (4/27/08)? Great interview.
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I can't decide who is better Ann or Tarja Turunen. Listen to Nightwish if you don't know who Tarja is.
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