Cassandra Wilson’s Legacy Lives On | Rochester News

Rochester News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 3, 2026 · 1m

Cassandra Wilson, the Grammy-winning jazz icon whose voice wove blues, R&B, and Southern soul into a sound unlike any other, has passed away at 70. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, she became a musical force from humble coffeehouse beginnings, rising to global acclaim with her distinctive contralto and fearless genre-blending. A two-time Grammy winner, NEA Jazz Master, and revered by peers like Jon Batiste, Wilson didn’t just sing — she embodied the spirit of the South, turning every note into storytelling that moved generations. Her legacy, rooted in Mississippi soil and soaring across genres…