Cassandra Wilson Dead At 70

American jazz singer Cassandra Wilson, a two‑time Grammy‑winning vocalist renowned for her distinctive smoky contralto, died today in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. She was 70.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy‑Award‑winning and legendary jazz artist,” her manager Robert Torre told WBGO. “Cassandra Wilson transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager. Her family and close friends kindly request privacy during this difficult time as they grieve her loss. Further details on memorial services and arrangements will be made available later.”

Mayor John Horhn issued a similarly mournful statement. “Jackson has lost an extraordinary native daughter, and the world has lost a singular musical voice,” he declared. “Cassandra Wilson carried the sound, spirit, and history of Mississippi wherever her music travelled.”

Born on December 4, 1955, Wilson’s father, Herman Fowlkes Jr., was a guitarist, bassist, and music teacher, while her mother, an elementary school teacher holding a Ph.D. in education, instilled a love of popular sounds. Inspired by her father’s musical curiosity and her mother’s devotion to Motown, Wilson received early classical training.

She pursued higher education at Millsaps College, earning a degree in mass communications, and later completed a Ph.D. in Arts. Between her studies, she performed with R&B, funk, and pop cover bands and sang in local coffeehouses. Her first recordings appeared in 1986 when she signed to the independent Munich label JMT.

The turning point came with her 1988 album Blue Skies, which garnered critical acclaim. In 1993 she moved to Blue Note Records, achieving breakthrough success with Blue Light ‘Til Dawn and the 1996 release New Moon Daughter, which captured the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.

Wilson’s most recent studio effort was the 2015 album Coming Forth By Day. In 2020 she launched the supergroup Dopamine alongside Elvis Costello, DJ Premier, T‑Bone Burnett, and Nathaniel Rateliff.

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