Louella Wilson, known professionally as Spanky Wilson, was born in 1947 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a soul, funk, and jazz singer. Raised in Pittsburgh, she began singing at a young age and started performing in clubs at age 17 with Stanley Turrentine. Her breakthrough came when she was recruited by Jimmy McGriff for a national tour that ended in Los Angeles in 1967. There, she met H. B. Barnum, who invited her to record. Wilson's first song "The Last Day of Summer" was produced by Barnum and released in 1969. This was followed by the album Spankin' Brand New (1969), with all songs written by Howlett Smith. She made her international debut at the Rio de Janeiro Song Festival in Brazil in 1970. In 1985, Wilson moved to France and performed in clubs. She returned to California in 2000 and collaborated with Will Holland of the Quantic Soul Orchestra, releasing the album I'm Thankful (2006). Her discography also includes the albums Doin' It (1969) and Let It Be (1970).
