Updated: September 3, 2026
Jackson, Mississippi – Cassandra Wilson, the acclaimed American jazz singer, songwriter, and two-time Grammy winner, died on September 1 or 2, 2026 (reports vary slightly on the exact day), at her home in Jackson, Mississippi. She was 70.
Cause of death
Her longtime manager, Robert Torre, announced that she “transitioned peacefully at home, surrounded by family, close friends, and her manager.” The Hinds County coroner confirmed the death.
Most major outlets (including The New York Times, The Guardian, Variety, and Rolling Stone) state that no cause of death was provided or publicly disclosed. One report cited the coroner’s office as attributing it to natural causes.
Background
Born Cassandra Fowlkes on December 4, 1955, in Jackson, Mississippi, Wilson was known for her distinctive low, smoky contralto voice and her ability to blend jazz with blues, folk, pop, R&B, and country.
She gained wide recognition in the 1990s with albums such as Blue Light ’Til Dawn (1993) and New Moon Daughter (1995), the latter winning a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. She won a second Grammy for Loverly (2008). Time magazine once called her America’s best singer. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
Her repertoire included original material as well as distinctive covers of songs by artists such as Robert Johnson (including “Death Letter”), Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and others.
Tributes have come from fellow musicians including Jon Batiste and Dee Dee Bridgewater, as well as officials in her hometown of Jackson.