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Two-time Grammy-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer Cassandra Wilson has died at 70.
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Wilson was one of jazz’s most distinctive voices, known for her rich contralto and blend of jazz, blues, folk and other musical styles.
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Her manager confirmed that she died peacefully at her home in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, September 2, surrounded by family, close friends and her manager. No cause of death has been disclosed.
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In 2001, Time magazine named Wilson “America’s Best Singer,” recognizing her influence and contribution to jazz.
September 03, (THEWILL) — Cassandra Wilson, the two-time Grammy-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer, has died at 70.
Wilson died peacefully at her home in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, September 2, surrounded by family, close friends and her longtime manager, Robert Torry. No cause of death has been disclosed.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy Award-winning and legendary jazz artist.
“Cassandra Wilson transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager,” Torry said in a statement to jazz radio station WBGO. Her family has asked for privacy as they mourn her loss.
Throughout her career, Wilson became known for her distinctive contralto voice and her ability to blend jazz with blues, folk, country and other musical styles.
In 2001, Time magazine named her “America’s Best Singer,” highlighting her influence and unique sound.
Wilson began playing piano at six and guitar at 12 before moving to New York in the early 1980s.
There, she became part of the M-Base Collective alongside saxophonist Steve Coleman and other influential musicians.
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Her solo career began with ‘Point of View’ in 1986. She gained wider recognition with ‘Blue Light ’Til Dawn’ in 1993, an album that combined jazz with blues and other influences.
Wilson won her first Grammy in 1997 for ‘New Moon Daughter’ and a second in 2009 for ‘Loverly’.
She also collaborated with artists including Wynton Marsalis, The Roots, Luther Vandross, Elvis Costello, and Terence Blanchard.
Her work with Marsalis included ‘Blood on the Fields’, the Pulitzer Prize-winning jazz oratorio.
It She released her final solo album, ‘Coming Forth by Day’, in 2015 as a tribute to Billie Holiday.
In 2022, Wilson was named an NEA Jazz Master, one of the highest honours given to jazz musicians in the United States.
Following news of her death, tributes began coming in from across the music world, with fellow artists and admirers remembering her distinctive voice, musical range and lasting influence on jazz.
Wilson leaves behind a career that spanned decades and helped broaden the sound and reach of modern jaz
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
