Ila Vann

Soul, Blues and R&B Singer. Lives in Richmond, Virginia with one of her daughters. Born 1938, Long Branch, NJ USA. One of Her brothers is Hampton Carlton keyboard player for the The Mighty Clouds Of Joy. The other being Paul Vann Started out singing in church. Spotted at age 8 by Mahalia Jackson and went on the road as an opening act with Jackson for the next 4-years. Sang with The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Staple Singers, Clara Ward and Sam Cooke. At age 23, she recorded with Louis Armstrong. Her work with Sam Cooke led to her first recording contract with Arnold Records. Her move to Roulette Records resulted in a more commercial sound, and she is especially known for her version of the Showboat musical number ‘Can’t Help Loving That Man’. This song later became a huge hit on the Northern Soul circuit in England. Vann broke her Roulette contract due to a lack of promotion/marketing for her work. Following her Roulette recordings, Vann worked on broadway musicals, toured with the USO, and the group, Business Before Pleasure. She lived in Ontario Canada for many years, performed in cities and towns around Eastern Ontario, Canada – Kingston, Belleville, Trenton, Brockville. She made occasional appearances in the UK for an always appreciative Northern Soul devotees. Ila retired from touring in 2017, and has said she 'I am going to sing until I die. Music is a part of me forever.”