Viola Wills: Disco Diva Passes from Leukemia

Viola Wills (December 30, 1939—May 6, 2009) was an American pop singer, best known for the 1979 UK Singles Chart #8 and U.S. Hot Dance Club Play #52 [3] hit, "Gonna Get Along Without You Now". Other hits included further covers of the songs, "Both Sides Now" (#35 UK) (1986), and "If You Could Read My Mind" (#2 U.S. Hot Dance Club Play) (1980).

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Viola Wills
December 30, 1939—May 6, 2009

She was born Viola Mae Wilkerson in Watts - Los Angeles,CA. In 1965 the married mother of six children, she was discovered by Barry White who signed her to Bronco Records and rechristened her with the shorter stage name Viola Wills. She started her career at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and, over the following years, in addition to working with Barry White, also performed with Joe Cocker, Smokey Robinson and many other established recording artists of the era. While working in London as one of Cocker's backing vocalists (dubbed the "Sanctified Sisters") she worked on, and released her solo debut album entitled Soft Centers, backed by Cocker's session players.

Viola passed away from leukemia, May 6th, 2009 8:27am Pacific Time in Arizona. She will be missed.