Betty Davis, the pioneering icon of funk and soul music who was at one time married to jazz legend Miles Davis, has passed away at the age of 77 according to Rolling Stone. Ethnomusicologist Danielle Maggio, who performed on Davis’ 2019 song “A Little Bit Hot Tonight” — the singer’s first in 40 years — confirmed Davis’ death of natural causes.
Although Davis did not have a vast collection of mega-hits to her name, she proved to be one of the most influential musicians of the 1970s funk movement, developing a cult following and growing in public esteem in more recent years due to her music receiving more recognition in pop culture, with placements of television series such as High Fidelity, Mixed-ish, and Orange Is The New Black. Miles Davis also credited his ex-wife — his second after Frances Davis — with introducing him to Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, leading to his experimental jazz fusion work in the ’70s.
Betty recorded four albums during the period: Betty Davis, They Say I’m Different, Nasty Gal, and Is It Love Or Desire? although the last of the four wasn’t released until 2009. Musicians who played on her albums included members of the Family Stone, Buddy Miles, Herbie Hancock, and more, although she became disillusioned with the music industry and retired after the release of Nasty Gal in 1975. Contemporary artists who cite her as an influence include Erykah Badu, Jamila Woods, and Janelle Monae.