Legendary Jazz Singer Nancy Wilson Dead at 81

Photo Credit: Herb Snitzer/Getty

Three-time Grammy-winning artist, Nancy Wilson passed away peacefully Thursday after a long illness in a statement released by her manager, Devra Hall Levy. Wilson was 81.

Originally from Chillicothe, Ohio she called herself a “song stylist.” Wilson focused on R&B music then later excelled at jazz ballads and torch songs.

With single like “Guess Who I Saw Today,” “Face It Girl, It’s Over,” “He’s My Guy,” “The Things We Did Last Summer,” and “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am,” Wilson solidified her place in music with her incredible talent. Not only did she chart on the Billboard Top 200, she also won three Grammys.  

She also became the host of National Public Radio’s Jazz Profiles, in the 1990s, a documentary series featuring jazz legends and music legacy.

In 2011, she retired from live music to “spend all of her time with her family, especially her grandchildren.”

She is survived by her three children and five grandchildren.