JEAN KNIGHT - New Orleans Soul Sister has died aged 80

americanprimitives

Soul and Funk singer Jean Knight has died at the age of 80

The New Orleans native was best known for her 1971 hit single, "Mr. Big Stuff." The song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100

NPR

The song was recorded in 1970 at Malaco Studio in Jackson, Mississippi at the same session as "Groove Me" by King Floyd. Knight's single was released by Stax Records because of the persistence of Stax publisher Tim Whitsett, and "Groove Me" by King Floyd, which Whitsett strongly urged Malaco to release, also became a hit. Both songs are defined by two bar, off-beat bass lines and tight arrangements by New Orleans maestro Wardell Quezergue.

Released on Knight's 1971 debut album of the same title, it became a huge crossover hit. The song spent five weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard Soul Singles chart and peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, behind "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by The Bee Gees. Billboard ranked it as the No. 18 song for 1971. The song went double platinum and the no. 1 Soul Single of the year.

Knight performed the song on Soul Train on December 11, 1971 during its first season. "Mr. Big Stuff" became one of Stax Records' more popular and recognizable hits. It was featured in the 2007 mini-series The Bronx Is Burning. It was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1972 Grammy Awards.

In 1987, rapper Heavy D recorded "Mr. Big Stuff", which also became a hit. Though his version was entirely different from the original version, Knight's hook line ("Mr. Big Stuff, who do you think you are?") was prominently featured throughout the song.

In 1994, the song was prominently interpolated into TLC's "Switch" on their CrazySexyCool album.

A sample of the composition was used for the self-titled song by Queen Latifah, Shades and Free, which was included on the soundtrack of the 1996 movie The Associate.

 - wikipedia

Here she is on Soul Train

check the HAIR!