Canadian rock and blues singer Sass Jordan has died at the age of 65, prompting an outpouring of tributes for one of the country’s most recognizable rock voices.
Jordan died peacefully on October 2 surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement from her family. Billboard reports that no cause of death has been announced. Jordan had recently cancelled tour dates because of health concerns.
Born Sarah Jordan in Birmingham, England, in 1960, she moved to Montreal with her family when she was three years old. By her teenage years, she was already performing in Montreal clubs.
Her breakthrough came with the 1988 album “Tell Somebody.” The success helped Jordan win the Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist in 1989.
Her 1992 album “Racine” became the biggest commercial success of her career and included “Make You a Believer,” which reached No. 11 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. Billboard named Jordan its Top Female Rock Artist of 1992.
Jordan later became familiar to millions of television viewers as a judge on “Canadian Idol.” She appeared on all six seasons of the show between 2003 and 2008.
Her influence also reached another generation of rock stars.
A young Taylor Hawkins played drums in Jordan’s touring band before later becoming internationally famous with Foo Fighters. Hawkins credited Jordan with teaching him how to be part of a professional rock band and giving him his first major opportunity as a touring musician.
Jordan and Hawkins reunited onstage in Toronto in 2015 when she performed with Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl told the audience that Jordan had played an important role in Hawkins’ path to the band.
Over more than four decades, Jordan moved between rock, blues, television and theatre while building a career that made her one of Canada’s best known female rock performers.
News of her death has now sparked renewed interest around the world, with searches for Sass Jordan surging as fans revisit her music and career.
