Irma Jackson = Viola Wills

[sfbeary]

hey discopeople,

today my dj buddy jerry bonham dropped by and i played for him some things he didn't know. we were listening to a mix cd by robbie leslie (one of the more beloved djs of the saint in nyc) that contained debbie jacobs-rock's unreleased version of "maybe this time" (later sung by norma lewis over the same backing tracks). this mixed into "always something there to remind me" by viola wills. since he knew that, i took the cd off and put on irma jackson's "you will forget" (the track on our updated disco 500 that no one seemed to know besides the people who voted for it.)

well, the segue from one track to the other made it obvious that irma jackson is a pseudonym for viola wills! there's no doubt in our minds about this - it's definitely her. (jerry was the same person who pointed out that viola wills sings the final section of "don't stop the train," which is solely credited to phyllis nelson. apparently viola originally sang the entire thing but there was some kind of dispute and MOST of her voice was replaced by phyllis nelson, but it's most certainly viola vamping away at the end of the track. i never suspected that until jerry told me this, but once you know that it's unmistakably viola.)

anyway, jerry agreed with me that viola sounds as if she's straining to sing as fast as she can on "you can forget." the vocal and the music to our ears don't quite match. given viola's tendency to sing cover versions, it makes sense that the song resembles an awkward translation of some old edith piaf song that's been plopped on top of a disco arrangement. i find the record much more fascinating than ultimately satisfying, particularly because viola herself has been for the most part "forgotten" by all but the hi-NRG faithful, and never experienced the mainstream popularity of the earlier disco divas - she arrived just as disco died in america. poor thing.

take care,
barry

[markydefad]

Hey Barry "Columbo",

Wow!!! Fascinating detective work!!!!

So do you suppose this "Irma Jackson" track was recorded before "If You could Read My Mind", etc.???? OR after her fame dwindled? I think you previously said there is no date on the label. Is the label anything Viola was associated with? The last thing I have by her is something called "Space" which bombed big-time (must have been 1983).

I also never suspected there was a switch in vocalists on "Don't Stop The Train"; people here have complained how Phyllis strains to hit the notes on that song....I was never really aware of that either. Duh. :roll: Guess I better pull that out and listen again.

So who are the folks that voted for this mysterious record, I wonder??? Hmmmmm

[sfbeary]

i would GUESS that "you will forget" was recorded sometime between "if you could read my mind" and "stormy weather." there's no date on the wea international label - maybe the french pressing from which it was apparently licensed lists a date. the label resembles the european pressings of change circa "paradise," which i believe was '81.

[NickNack]

Oh, me. Now I've got to pull out Don't Stop The Train. Never heard any of this before, Barry. Quite interesting. This is the kind of stuff I love hearing about... the history behind our favorite music. Just like the Ian Levine tales and that so-called 'new' disco music being recycled Northern Soul. All of it gets my brain buzzing. :)

[SandraDee]

Viola Wills had a record out in 1986 which was a hi-nrg remake of 'Both Sides Now' coupled with an original song called 'Dare to Dream' which was the classier side IMO.
Thats very fascinating about Viola singing the end of Dont Stop The Train; now I've listened to it again I can see what u mean Barry.

[totoman]

I have often read that Viola was the vocalist on Dont Stop The Train but I have never beena lover of that song.

Viola released a single here in the UK in about 93/94. It was a more housed up type song but I cannot remember what it was called. She also appeared at a gay club here a few months ago so she is still around.

toto