Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, songwriter, and producer Cassandra Wilson died early Wednesday morning in Jackson, Mississippi, at age 70.
Wilson’s longtime manager, Robert Torre, announced her passing, stating, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy Award-winning and legendary jazz artist.” Torre added that Wilson “transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager,” and that her family and friends requested privacy during their grief.
Throughout her career, Wilson was known for her emotive contralto voice and her incorporation of blues and funk elements into her jazz compositions. She won two Grammy Awards: in 1997 for best jazz vocal performance with “New Moon Daughter,” and in 2009 for best jazz vocal album with “Loverly.” She collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Steve Coleman, The Roots, Wynton Marsalis, and Greg Osby.
Time magazine named Wilson “America’s Best Singer” in 2001. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, she began playing piano at age six and guitar at twelve. In the early 1980s, she moved to New York City and co-founded M-Base with saxophonist Steve Coleman, a collective that also included Geri Allen and Osby.
Wilson released her debut album, “Point of View,” in 1986, and continued to release projects, including 1993’s “Blue Light ‘Til Dawn” on Blue Note Records. This album blended blues, jazz, and pop, though it was considered controversial for deviating from traditional jazz conventions. She recorded both original songs and covers of artists like Neil Young, Cyndi Lauper, and Bob Dylan, and collaborated with Luther Vandross, Angelique Kidjo, Terrence Blanchard, and Olu Dara. Her final solo album, “Coming Forth by Day,” released in 2015, was an homage to Billie Holiday.
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