Fans are remembering the voice and songs of trailblazer Angie Stone after her death at 63 in a weekend crash on an Alabama highway as she travelled from a performance.
The Grammy-nominated RnB singer was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song "Wish I Didn't Miss You." She found a sweet spot in the early 2000s as neo-soul began to dominate RnB.
In a recent Instagram post, Stone told fans she was excited about upcoming events and "getting back in the mix."
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"A lot of stuff is going on that I don't want to just let out of the bag just yet," she said. "But you can see that there's a big grin on my face."
The tributes to Stone on social media included one from rap artist MC Hammer, who posted a video featuring Stone's song "Brotha," writing "I can't tell you how many days this song blessed my Soul. RIP Angie Stone."
Actor and singer Jennifer Hudson expressed disbelief in a social media post.
"What a loss !!! Angie Stone was a true pioneer," Hudson wrote.
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"Another one of our great soul singers gone too soon. Prayers up for her family and loved ones!"
The Alabama Highway Patrol said the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van that Stone was travelling in overturned on Interstate 65 early Saturday before being hit by a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia truck. Stone was pronounced dead at the scene, the highway patrol said in a statement.
The crash occurred about 8km south of the Montgomery city limits. The van's driver and seven others were taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials continue to investigate the crash.
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The singer-songwriter created hits like "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" which reached number one for 10 weeks on Billboard's Adult RnB airplay chart, "Baby" with legendary soul singer Betty Wright, another number one hit, and "Wish I Didn't Miss You" and "Brotha." Her 2001 album "Mahagony Soul" reached number 22 on the Billboard 200, while 2007's "The Art Of Love & War" peaked at number 11.
"Rest in Power, Angie Stone. A true pioneer, a soulful storyteller, and a voice that helped shape the sound of RnB," the NAACP Image Awards posted on social media.
The church-grown singer was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She helped form The Sequence, the first all-female group on the hip-hop trailblazing imprint Sugar Hill Records, becoming one of the first female groups to record a rap song.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGq57ZmSJTV/?utm_source=ig_embed&The group's "Funk You Up," has been sampled by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre. Stone later joined the trio Vertical Hold before launching her solo career.
Actor and comedian Jamie Foxx said Stone would be missed "painfully."
"I know they say that God doesn't make any mistakes… but man this one hurts…," Foxx said.
"Angie Stone was an incredible songwriter, and incredible artist and incredible person … never thought in 1 million years that this would happen…"
Stone was also remembered by the Reverend Bernice King, daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr and CEO of the King Centre.
"So heartbreaking" King posted on social media.
"Rest well, soul sister. #AngieStone".
Stone's performance at the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association's Grand Marshal's Ball on Friday night was "nothing short of phenomenal," according to the organisation's president, Isadore B Sims. In a statement, Sims said they would cherish memories of Stone's talent and warm spirit.
"Her talent captivated everyone in attendance, and her presence truly elevated the event," Sims said.
"Never could we have imagined that it would be the last time we would have the honour of witnessing her perform."
At the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's men's championship basketball game in Baltimore on Saturday, where Stone was scheduled to perform during halftime, Chaplain Pastor Jerome Barber called for a moment of silence.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority mourned the loss of their sorority sister.
"Renowned for her contributions to the RnB and neo-soul genres, Stone's music has resonated with fans for decades," the sorority said in a statement, remembering her diabetes awareness efforts and work with the sorority's Elder Care initiatives and Zetas Helping Other People Excel.
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