Grammy-winning jazz singer Cassandra Wilson, whose unmistakable deep and smoky voice made her one of the most influential vocalists of modern jazz, has died. She was 70.
Wilson died peacefully at her home Tuesday morning, according to her representatives. No cause of death has been announced.
“Cassandra Wilson transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager,” her representatives said in a statement provided to jazz radio station WBGO.
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1955, Wilson developed a love of music at an early age. She began playing piano as a child before later learning guitar.
In the early 1980s, Wilson moved to New York City, where she became immersed in the city’s thriving jazz scene and began building the career that would eventually make her an internationally acclaimed performer.
Over the decades, Wilson performed alongside some of the biggest names in jazz, including Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis.
She also became known for pushing the boundaries of traditional jazz, blending elements of blues, folk and other musical styles into her work.
Among her most celebrated albums were 1993’s “Blue Light ’Til Dawn” and 1995’s “New Moon Daughter.”
“New Moon Daughter” became one of Wilson’s greatest commercial successes, selling more than 400,000 copies and earning her a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.
Wilson ultimately won two Grammy Awards during her career and received numerous other honors for her contributions to music.
In 2022, she was named an NEA Jazz Master, one of the highest honors bestowed on a jazz musician in the United States.
Her death prompted tributes from her hometown and across the music world.
“Cassandra Wilson carried the sound, spirit, and history of Mississippi with her wherever her music reached,” Jackson Mayor John Horhn said.
Wilson leaves behind a remarkable musical legacy and a distinctive voice that helped shape a generation of jazz.