Marlena Shaw, known for her 1969 track California Soul has died. She was 81.
The jazz singer’s daughter Marla Bradshaw confirmed the heartbreaking news in a video posted to her mother’s Facebook account.
“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 today,” Bradshaw shared.
Watch the video above.
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In the video caption, Bradshaw revealed that the singer had died on January 19, 2024 and shared her birthday as September 22, 1939, placing her at a different age to most reports – 84.
“I know that you just saw posts of birthday celebration just as soon as yesterday,” she continued, adding her and her twin sister felt “very grateful, and our family, that she was here in celebration for that.”
“She was peaceful. We were at peace,” Bradshaw added, revealing the singer died “listening to some of her favourite songs.”
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A cause of death was not disclosed in the video, however Shaw’s daughter promised “when it’s needing to be known, it will be.”
Shaw became best known for the 1969 hit track California Soul from her album The Spice of Life. The song was first released by Ashford the previous year.
The track would go on to be widely sampled by other artists including the likes of Diplo, Stereo MC, Drake and Gang Starr amongst others.
Shaw had a career spanning over five decades and produced 17 albums, with hits such as Woman Of The Ghetto, Yu-Ma / Go Away Little Boy, and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.
Verve Records, who produced the singer’s ’80s album It Is Love: Recorded Live At Vine St., shared a statement after hearing the sad news.
“We are saddened by the passing of Marlena Shaw, a wonderful singer whose ‘California Soul’ is as popular today as it ever was and whose album It Is Love: Recorded Live At Vine St. helped relaunch the Verve label in 1987,” the Facebook post read.
Fans also took to social media to express their sadness at the news of the legendary singer’s passing.
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https://twitter.com/jamzbrux/status/1749457305899249853
“Very, very sad to learn of the passing of the incomparable Ms Marlena Shaw,” one person wrote to X, formerly known as Twitter.
“A real class act – a fine, distinctive voice and innate star power but never let her immense gifts overpower the material,” another shared.
“One of a kind and a true legend. We will never forget California Soul,” a third said.