Cassandra Wilson, Grammy-Winning Jazz Singer, Dead at 70

Key Points:

• Cassandra Wilson, a two-time Grammy-winning jazz vocalist known for collaborations with the Roots, Angelique Kidjo, and others, passed away peacefully at home at age 70, according to her manager Robert Torre.
• Born in 1955 in Jackson, Mississippi, Wilson grew up in a musical family and began performing professionally in her late teens, eventually co-founding the M-Base Collective with saxophonist Steve Coleman in the early 1980s.
• Her influential career included acclaimed albums such as Blue Light ’til Dawn (1992), New Moon Daughter (1995), and Loverly (2008), blending jazz with acoustic and popular music interpretations.
• Wilson collaborated with prominent artists including Wynton Marsalis, the Roots, Terence Blanchard, and John Legend, and earned multiple awards including two Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
• She emphasized jazz’s evolving nature and its roots in popular music, drawing inspiration from legends like Billie Holiday and Charlie Parker to create a distinctive and innovative sound throughout her career.