Cassandra Wilson Passed Away At 70, Was She Married? Inside Her Professional And Personal Life
Two-time Grammy winner Cassandra Wilson passed away at the age of 70. Amid the heartbreaking news, let's look inside her personal and professional life!
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleCassandra Wilson, one of the much-loved and influential vocalists of the past 40 years, passed away at the age of 70. The shocking news has sparked grief in the music world. It was her long-time manager, Robert Torry, who confirmed the singer's passing.
According to a statement from Torry, Cassandra passed away in her home, in the presence of her close ones. The cause of Cassandra's death has not been disclosed. Amid her passing, Cassandra's personal and professional life has grabbed attention. So, amid her death at the age of 70, let's have a look at Cassandra Wilson's life.
Cassandra Wilson passed away at the age of 70: A look into her career
Cassandra Wilson fell in love with music at a young age, so much so that she started playing piano at the age of 6, while she began with guitar at 12. She was born in 1955 to a jazz guitarist father, Herman B. Fowlkes, and an elementary school teacher. As her father's profession was also music, Cassandra was extremely close to the art and eventually followed her father's footsteps by stepping into the world of music.
Cassandra completed her education, earning a degree in Mass Communication at Jackson State University. In her late teens, she started singing professionally, while in her 20s, she started playing jazz. Back in 2001, she was labeled as America's Best Singer by Time magazine. Cassandra's voice and skills expanded beyond the normal blues of jazz, and her work spanned across folk, pop, R&B, country, and beyond.
She was best known for her soulful sound as well as her dark contralto, and the way she was tied to her roots through her art. Cassandra started her career playing the clarinet in marching bands, then moved on to coffeehouses and cover bands, and eventually, with her hard work, skills, and soulful voice, she earned several Grammy nominations and two wins.
Cassandra won two Grammys for Best Vocal Album, including New Moon Daughter in 1996 and Loverly in 2009. Apart from that, she also won the Django D’Or, the Edison Music Award, and a Mississippi Blues Trail marker. Throughout her career, Cassandra released over 20 studio and live albums, as reported. Her debut album was Point of View (1986). Following this, she released Blue Skies and She Who Weeps. In 1993, she released another album, Blue Light 'till Dawn, and it was her debut for Blue Note Records.
Among others, her 1999 album, Traveling Miles, was a tribute album to Miles Davis. Some of the much-loved albums of Cassandra include Belly of the Sun, Glamoured, and Loverly. The iconic Jazz singer's final albums were Silver Pony and Coming Forth by Day, the latter being a homage to Billie Holiday.
Cassandra Wilson's personal life
Cassandra Wilson was reportedly married twice. Not many details are available about her personal life; however, it was reported that she married Anthony Wilson in 1981. Anthony was supportive of Cassandra's career. When she co-founded M-Base Collective, after moving to New York in 1982, Anthony was with her. According to Rolling Stone, he was once a weekend announcer on WBGO. The couple's marriage ended in divorce, reportedly two years later.
According to data from a public platform, Cassandra married Isaach de Bankolé in 2000, a highly acclaimed, award-winning Ivorian actor. The marriage also ended in divorce, reportedly after three years. As per Wikipedia, the singer had a son named Jeris, to whom she was a dedicated mother.
We wish Cassandra Wilson's family the strength to deal with this tough time!
Photo Courtesy: Instagram
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