Marlena Shaw, the jazz and soul singer best known for her 1969 recording of “California Soul,” has died. It was 81.
Shaw's daughter, Marla Bradshaw, confirmed her death in a video posted on Facebook on Friday (January 19).
“It is with a very heavy heart, for me and our family, that I announce that our beloved mother, your beloved icon and artist, Marlena Shaw, passed away today at 12:03,” he said.
“She was peaceful,” he continued. “We were quiet. I know you just saw his posts [a] birthday party just yesterday, and my twin sister and I were so grateful—and our family—that he was here to celebrate for that.”
No cause of death was given at the time of publication.
“Right now, she's quiet. He is in Heaven. I know that,” Shaw's daughter added. She shared that she “went listening to some of her favorite songs.”
Born Marlina Burgess in New Rochelle, New York on September 22, 1939, the singer said her uncle Jimmy Burgess got her into music. Burgess was a jazz trumpeter.
Shaw (which became her stage name) is best known for releasing “California Soul”, written by Ashford & Simpson and released in 1969 by Cadet Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records. There he released the albums From different bags (1967) and The Spice of Life (1969), the latter of which featured the frequent hits “California Soul” and “Woman of the Ghetto”.
“California Soul” has been sampled by several artists, including Gang Starr and Stereo MC and Diplo released a remix of the song in 2008. The track has also been licensed for use in several commercials, including ads for Dodge, KFC and Dockers.
“I think it's great,” he said in one 2009 interview listening to her sample music. “I really do. Number one, I like the surprise and I like hearing what somebody else's idea is.”
“But it makes me feel like I'm the sun, you know, and I shine in all kinds of things,” she added with a laugh.
Shaw also released several recordings under Blue Note Records and music on labels such as Columbia and Verve. Oestrus communicated in a statement“We are saddened by the passing of Marlena Shaw, a wonderful singer whose 'California Soul' is as popular today as ever and her album It Is Love: Recorded live at Vine St. helped relaunch the Verve label in 1987;
Shaw said performing live “was my saving grace”. She explained, “I was really consistently working live. All kinds of venues, big bands, small bands — because I love it.”
The singer's family shared an address for those wishing to send condolences:
Ms. Marlena Shaw & Family
T.Th. 335774
N. Las Vegas, NV 89033
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/marlena-shaw-dead-1235585900/