Jazz singer and songwriter Cassandra Wilson died on Tuesday, October 1st, at the age of 70, in the United States. The information was confirmed by the medical examiner of Hinds County, Jeramiah Howard, which encompasses the city of Jackson, in Mississippi, the birthplace of the artist. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Born in Mississippi, Cassandra Wilson was a two-time Grammy winner and was elected by Time magazine as the best singer in the United States in 2001. She stood out as one of the most striking voices of her generation, drawing from the blues tradition of her home state to build her career in jazz.
Wilson was one of the main figures of jazz in the 1980s and 1990s, performing opening shows for Miles Davis and touring alongside Wynton Marsalis. Despite her great commercial success, she preferred to call herself a musician, rejecting being limited only to the category of jazz chanteuse.
Known for her deep, husky voice, Cassandra Wilson brought elegant romanticism to classics of the American songbook. In addition, she dedicated herself to performing songs by artists such as Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Neil Young and Robert Johnson, demonstrating the breadth of her musical influences.
