Marlena Shaw — best known for her song “California Soul” — has died … according to her daughter.
The legendary jazz and R&B singer passed away Friday afternoon Marlena’s daughter Marla said in a video she posted to Facebook. She did not give a cause of death.
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MS’ most famous track is “California Soul” — a song originally performed by The Messengers, but one she covered and made famous … that’s had a lasting impact on hip hop and popular culture at large.
A few of the hit properties that featured the songs … “The Italian Job,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “All Things Must Pass,” “Pixie,” the TV series “Bad Sisters” and video game “Grand Theft Auto V.”
It’s also taken on a second life in the world of hip hop sampling … Gang Starr, The Game and Jay Rock, Elzhi, Quasimoto, Jay Electronica, Laika and Xzhibit are just a few of the stars who’ve sampled the song in one form or another.
“California Soul” is her most enduring classic, but Shaw had a number of other hits too including “Feel Like Making Love,” “Loving You Was Like A Party,” “Go Away Little Boy” and “Is You or Is You Ain’t My Baby” — another song she covered that bagged her a Grammy nod back in 1990.
Marlena was 81.
RIP
