Funk and soul legend Betty Davis has died at the age of 77 from natural causes.
The legendary funk and soul star - who was known for writing overtly sexual lyrics and remembered for her marriage to jazz legend Miles Davis - passed away on Wednesday, a close friend confirmed.
Connie Portis told Rolling Stone: "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."
After starting out as a model, Betty entered the music business in the 1970s with hit songs “If I'm in Luck I Might Get Picked Up” and “Shut Off The Lights”, before becoming more well-known for her one-year marriage to Miles Davis, who was 19 years her senior and eventually gave up the spotlight to retire to Homestead, Pennsylvania.
Her cause of death was confirmed to Rolling Stone by Allegheny County where she lived.
The statement continued: “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.”
In late 2022, Betty's final studio album '“Crashin’ From Passion”, will be reissued by record company Light in the Attic.
The company said in a statement: "Our hearts are incredibly heavy. Betty has been the guiding light in everything we do at Light in the Attic. Her unbending DIY ethic and ground breaking spirit will live on forever. We are going to miss her so much."
In a rare interview back in 2018, Betty opened up about the end of her career, admitting that she "just accepted it".
She told the New York "When I was told that it was over, I just accepted it. And nobody else was knocking at my door