Cassandra Wilson, Star Jazz Singer, Dies at 70

Cassandra Wilson, a two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, songwriter and producer, has passed away at the age of 70. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Wilson was dubbed America's best singer by Time magazine in 2001 for her genre-bending voice that transcended traditional blues-based jazz. Her soulful contralto, deeply rooted in her Southern heritage, was the backbone of her unique sound.

Wilson's musical journey began at the tender age of six when she started piano lessons, followed by clarinet lessons while attending Millsaps College and Jackson State University. In the early 1980s, she moved to New Orleans to study under jazz legends and later joined Steve Coleman's M-Base Collective, becoming its main vocalist.

Wilson's distinctive voice earned her four Grammy nominations and two wins for best jazz vocal album for "New Moon Daughter" (1997) and "Loverly" (2009). In 2015, she paid homage to blues legend Billie Holiday by performing at the Apollo Theater, marking her 100th birthday. In 2022, Wilson was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, a prestigious honor bestowed upon jazz musicians in the United States.

Tributes poured in from fellow musicians, including Jon Batiste, who praised Wilson's Mississippi roots and global impact, and Jackson Mayor John Horhn, who mourned the loss of an "extraordinary native daughter."