The sad news broke last night that Brooklyn soul siren Sharon Jones has died aged 60. She was diagnosed three years ago as suffering from pancreatic cancer, but despite undergoing major surgery kept performing.
A former prison guard who only went full-time into music 20 years ago, she was Grammy nominated and paid Glastonbury a suitably turbo-charged visit in 2014. A huge fan, Mark Ronson borrowed her band, the Dap-Kings, for Amy Winehouse's Back To Black album.
"Sharon Jones had one of the most magnificent, gut-wrenching voices of anyone in recent times," Ronson says. "She'll be so missed. Too sad."
Her fan club also included Barack Obama, Questlove, St. Vincent and Prince who took her by surprise by coming on stage and jamming at a Dap-Kings gig in Paris. Last year's Miss Sharon Jones! documentary captured her talents perfectly and can be found on various digital platforms.