American jazz singer and songwriter Cassandra Wilson passed away at the age of 70 on September 1, in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Time magazine named the two-time Grammy winner “America’s Best Singer” in 2001.
Her influence extended beyond her own recordings, with collaborations involving artists including Luther Vandross, John Legend, Ravi Coltrane, and the Count Basie Orchestra. She also contributed to Wynton Marsalis’ 'Blood on the Fields,' the first jazz work to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, and released her final studio album, 'Coming Forth By Day,' in 2015 as a tribute to Billie Holiday. Wilson died surrounded by family and close friends. No cause of death was disclosed.
Since its birth in the Southern United States near the end of the 19th century, jazz has grown and flourished into one of the most dynamic and expressive forms of music ever to grace our ears. The likes of John Coltrane and Miles Davis are constantly celebrated, but it's about time we give more of the spotlight to the incredible women who have contributed to the evolution of one of music's most fascinating genres.
Read on to learn more about the remarkable women who helped shape the evolution of jazz.