Calvin and Lillie Wills sang together for most of the last 40 years of the Wills Family’s 60 year career. Calvin was the oldest brother of the seven children of Aaron Burr Wills and he knew from early childhood that he wanted to sing Gospel Music for the rest of his life. When “Pop” Wills formed the first family group in 1938 with Calvin and the two oldest sisters, Eva Rene and Lou, he surely had no idea that the Singing Wills Family would continue their successful music career for over six decades. Calvin was caught in a surprise when he was inducted into the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1997. His long time partner and co-founder, Tom Ellis, served up the induction along with sister Lou. So many friends and fans of Calvin and the Wills Family through the years have acknowledged his profound contribution to the industry and ministry of Gospel Music. Some called him “Mr. Gospel Music of Texas!!”
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Lou Wills Hildreth
Lou Wills Hildreth
Lou Wills Hildreth was a founding member of the Wills Family Singers along with older sister, Eva Rene, brother, Calvin, and father, Aaron Burr (Pop) Wills. Those gospel music roots grew deep in Texas and the Southwest, but Lou’s career eventually covered the entire nation by way of “Music City”, Nashville, Tennessee. From her singing days with her own family group, which included her husband, Howard, and their children, David and Kathryn, the Hildreth family moved to Nashville in the late 60’s where Lou and Howard would establish the Nashville Gospel Talent Agency. For over twenty years Lou was involved with most of the major artists in the gospel music industry, and is still on the board of theGospel Music Association (GMA), as well as the Southern Gospel Music Association of Texas.
Lou was the host of the Wills Family Inspirational Time television program that aired for most of the late 60’s and early 70’s, and continued her role as a spokesperson and TV host since. She is currently co-hosting Gospel Music Today with J. P. Miller on the Gospel Music Television (GMT) network. Throughout her long career, Lou has become one of the most highly respected people in the industry and very well known for her love and support of Gospel Music.