In the winter of 1975, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart were riding in the back of a rental car somewhere in the middle of the United States. The sky was grey, the highways were long, and their promo guy, Shelly Siegel, was driving them from one radio station to another. It wasn’t glamorous — but it was the start of something huge.
A Slow Start in the U.S.
Heart had already released their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, in Canada. Songs like “Crazy on You” and “Magic Man” were getting good radio play there, and they had sold around 30,000 copies. But in the U.S., hardly anyone knew them.
To change that, they took matters into their own hands. They personally visited radio stations in different cities, meeting DJs and asking them to give their music a chance. Sometimes their promo guy bent the rules to get airplay, but Ann and Nancy believed that once people heard the songs, the music would speak for itself.
Eventually, the plan worked. Radio play grew. Heart began opening for big bands like Rod Stewart, ELO, and ZZ Top. After months of nonstop work, Dreamboat Annie finally took off in both Canada and the United States. The album became gold, then platinum.
Growing Up With Music
Ann and Nancy weren’t overnight successes. They grew up in Seattle in a house full of music — Ray Charles, Peggy Lee, and classical records. But everything changed when they saw The Beatles on TV. Instead of dreaming about marrying rock stars, they dreamed of becoming rock stars.
They learned instruments, played little shows in their garage, and wrote music together. Ann joined bands first, and Nancy later followed her to Vancouver, where Heart was starting to form. They played a lot of Led Zeppelin covers at first, earning the nickname “Little Led Zeppelin” because of Ann’s powerful voice.
Creating Dreamboat Annie
Heart recorded their first album in Vancouver’s Can-Base Studio. Producer Mike Flicker helped shape the sound, but the Wilson sisters already knew who they were musically. Two of their earliest recordings, “Crazy on You” and “Magic Man,” became their biggest hits.
The album was unique. It wasn’t just rock — it had folk moments, soft ballads, and even a few prog-style twists. Their love for The Beatles and Elton John showed in the variety of sounds. The title track, Dreamboat Annie, even appears in three different versions on the album.
Ann and Nancy gave everything to this record. They were writing songs in vans, living on cheap food, and performing almost every night. It was pure dedication.
Trouble With Their Record Label
Just when things were going well, their small label, Mushroom Records, caused trouble. They published a full-page ad with Ann and Nancy looking over their shoulders, making an inappropriate joke that hinted the sisters were lovers. This deeply offended them.
The relationship with the label fell apart. They ended up suing Mushroom and moving to a bigger label. But the anger from that experience inspired one of their most famous songs: “Barracuda.”
A Lasting Legacy
Looking back, Ann describes Dreamboat Annie as a record full of innocence. There was no auto-tune, no fancy tricks — just real performances. Nancy says the whole album feels “pure and sweet,” like the work of two young women full of hope and hunger.
Today, Dreamboat Annie is considered a classic. It marks the moment when Heart went from unknown musicians driving from town to town… to one of the most important rock bands of the 1970s.