Cassandra Wilson, the two-time Grammy-winning jazz singer once described by Time Magazine as "America's Best Singer," has died at the age of 70. Her death was announced by her long-time manager, Robert Torre, who said she passed away peacefully at home in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, surrounded by family, close friends and himself. No cause of death has been disclosed, and her family has asked for privacy while they grieve.

Wilson began playing piano at six and switched to guitar at 12, going on to release her debut album, Point of View, in 1985. She became known for her distinctive, smoky voice and genre-spanning collaborations, working with artists including Miles Davis, the Roots, Greg Osby and Steve Coleman, and recording acclaimed covers of songs by Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper. Broadcaster Gary Walker, who met her in the early 1980s, praised her boundary-defying approach to music, singling out her rendition of Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" as a standout example of her style.