Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy-winning jazz singer known for her deep contralto voice and adventurous approach to American music, has died at age 70. Her death was confirmed in an announcement stating that she died at her home in Jackson, Mississippi, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager.
The announcement prompted renewed attention to a career that stretched across decades and helped expand the boundaries of contemporary jazz. Wilson blended jazz with blues, folk, R&B, country, and pop, developing a sound that remained closely connected to her Mississippi roots.
Wilson won two Grammy Awards during her career, including recognition for the albums New Moon Daughter and Loverly. In 2022, she was named an NEA Jazz Master, one of the highest honors in American jazz.
Her career also included work with New York’s M-Base Collective and the 2015 album Coming Forth by Day, a tribute to Billie Holiday. Wilson leaves behind a body of work that crossed genres while maintaining a distinctive musical identity.