The music world has farewelled yet another legend, with cult funk singer Betty Davis passing away, aged 77.
Betty, ex-wife of jazz legend Miles Davis, died last Wednesday (US time). Her death was confirmed by close friend Danielle Maggio, whose research as an ethnomusicologist focused on Davis’ work.
“It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Betty Davis, a multi-talented music influencer and pioneer rock star, singer, songwriter, and fashion icon,” Davis’ longtime friend Connie Portis said in a statement.
“Most of all, Betty was a friend, aunt, niece, and beloved member of her community of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and of the worldwide community of friends and fans. At a time to be announced, we will pay tribute to her beautiful, bold, and brash persona.
“Today we cherish her memory as the sweet, thoughtful, and reflective person she was…There is no other.”
Davis’ music catalogue was recorded between 1964 and 1975, and has left an impact on music fans for decades after.
Her first single, Get Ready for Betty, was introduced in 1964 under her birth name, Betty Mabry. An influential figure in the New York music scene in the late-Sixties, she would pen the Chambers Brothers song Uptown (to Harlem).
Betty married Miles Davis in 1968, a marriage which unfortunately only lasted one year. Despite this, she is credited with introducing Miles to the rock era.
After the breakup, Davis ventured on her own, releasing her self-titled debut album in 1973 for Woodstock promoter Michael Lang’s Just Sunshine Records. Davis recruited Sly and the Family Stone producer Greg Errico and an outfit of West Coast musical greats, like Larry Graham and Merl Saunders.
Following this success, Davis created two more albums in quick succession: 1974’s They Say I’m Different and 1975’s Nasty Gal.
While not a commercial success, Davis gained, and still has, a massive cult following for her sexually-laden lyrics. Her candid, liberated attitude laid the trail for other artists who followed in her footsteps, such as Prince and Madonna.
Davis left music behind following this three-year spurt, moving to Pittsburgh. She lived out the next 40 years there, never making music again.
That is until 2019 when, after being the focus of a 2017 documentary (Betty: They Say I’m Different) and an episode of Mike Judge’s Tales From the Tour Bus, Davis released her first new song in over 40 years, A Little Bit Hot Tonight. Danielle Maggio sang the song on her behalf.
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Written by Jackson Miller
