Grammy-winning jazz singer Cassandra Wilson dies at 70

Cassidy Wilson, the Grammy-winning American jazz singer, passed away yesterday in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, at the age of 70, her manager disclosed. Wilson's manager, Robert Torre, described her passing as peaceful, adding that she was surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager. While the cause of death was not disclosed, Wilson's family and friends requested privacy, according to Torre.

A singer-songwriter and producer, Wilson was renowned for her rich, expressive contralto voice throughout her three-decade career. She garnered two Grammy Awards for her exceptional performances - the Best Jazz Vocal Performance in 1997 for her album "New Moon Daughter" and Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2009 for "Loverly." Wilson also starred in the 1997 oratorio "Blood on the Fields," directed by Wynton Marsalis, which became the first jazz work to win a Pulitzer Prize.

She collaborated with various musicians, including saxophonists Steve Coleman and Greg Osby, as well as hip-hop group The Roots.

Jon Batiste, a fellow musician, paid tribute to Wilson on social media, expressing his profound sadness at her loss. Batiste praised her unique vocal tone, phrasing, and her ability to seamlessly blend folkloric, R&B, and diasporic music with experimental and popular genres. Batiste noted that Wilson "sounded like the south."