In Memoriam : Marlena Shaw, legendary jazz singer, dies at 81

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Marlena Shaw, the singer behind  “California Soul” and “Woman of the Ghetto”, has died.

Marlena Shaw has passed away

Shaw’s daughter announced her passing on Facebook.

“It’s with a very heavy heart for myself and my family I announce that our beloved mother, your beloved icon and artist Marlena Shaw has passed away,” Marla Bradshaw, her daughter, said. “She went listening to some of her favorite songs.”

Bradshaw did not specify the cause of death but said her mother’s passing was “peaceful”.

She was 81.

Music career

Marlena Shaw was a legendary musician who influenced music in the jazz, soul, disco and R&B genres.

She rose to notoriety  the 1960s after she was noticed by the Chess Records label. She sang her most recognizable single “California Soul” with the label before switching to a more jazz-focused label.

Shaw’s music transcended across many generations and has been featured and sampled in popular media, TV commercials and other songs.

Her lyrics often communicated the strength of the Black American community and Black women at a time when there was racial divide in the country and its politics.

In her career, Shaw put out 17 albums.