Betty Davis, the legendary artist often referred to as the queen of funk, has died at age 77.
The news was confirmed to Rolling Stone by Davis’ close friend Danielle Maggio, an ethnomusicologist whose work focused on Betty’s music and life. Allegheny County communications director Amie Downs said Davis died of natural causes.
Born in North Carolina, Davis moved to New York City at 16 to go to fashion school, which spawned a modelling career highlighted by her appearances in spreads for magazines like Glamour and Seventeen.
After marrying jazz pioneer Miles Davis in 1968, Betty went on to record three solo albums: her 1973 self-titled debut, 1974’s They Say I’m Different, and 1975’s Nasty Gal.
She scored two singles on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, with the No. 66 single “If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up” and 1975’s “Shut Off the Lights,” which peaked at No. 97.
Betty and Miles Davis divorced after a year of marriage due, which she attributed to his violent, jealous temper.
Speaking to the New York Times in 2018 about her too-brief career, Betty said, “When I was told that it was over, I just accepted it. And nobody else was knocking at my door.”
She went on to say her father’s death changed her priorities. “I went to another level,” Davis explained. “It was no longer about the music or anything, it was about me losing a part of myself. It was devastating.”
Latest Stories
-
We’ll cut down imports and boost consumption of local rice and other products – Mahama
29 mins -
Prof Opoku-Agyemang donates to Tamale orphanage to mark her birthday
2 hours -
Don’t call re-painted old schools brand new infrastructure – Prof Opoku-Agyemang tells gov’t
2 hours -
Sunon Asogli plant will be back on stream in a few weeks – ECG
2 hours -
ECOWAS deploys observers for Dec. 7 election
2 hours -
73 officers commissioned into Ghana Armed Forces
3 hours -
Impending shutdown of three power plants won’t happen – ECG MD
3 hours -
Ghana shouldn’t have experienced any ‘dumsor’ after 2017 – IES Boss
3 hours -
Lamens flouted some food safety laws in re-bagging rice – Former FDA Boss Alhaji Hudu Mogtari
4 hours -
Afcon exit: Our issue is administrative failure and mismanagement, not lack of talent – Saddick Adams
4 hours -
WAPCo to commence major pipeline maintenance and inspection from November 25
4 hours -
CEO of Oro Oil Ghana Limited Maxwell Commey listed among the 100 Most Influential People Awards, 2024
5 hours -
Power crisis: Amandi is off due to maintenance, not debt – ECG Boss
5 hours -
Votes cast for late Akua Donkor to be declared invalid – Electoral Commission
5 hours -
You can’t keep “incompetent” Otto Addo for the long term – Countryman Songo
5 hours