Legendary jazz singer Nancy Wilson, a Grammy-winning artist who fashioned herself a “song stylist,” died Thursday after a long illness. She was 81.
Wilson died peacefully at her home, according to manager Devra Levy.
A native of Chillicothe, Ohio, Wilson initially focused on R&B music but went on to embrace jazz ballads and torch songs. She made her debut with her 1961 single, “Guess Who I Saw Today.”
Wilson’s biggest hit came in 1964 with “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am,” which rose to the #11 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles and earned her a Grammy Award for best R&B recording.
She would win two more Grammy Awards in 2005 and 2007.
After a musical and acting career that spanned more than six decades, Wilson retired in 2011 from live performances to spend more time with her family.
