Tributes have been coming in for the Canadian blues rock singer Sass Jordan, who has died, aged just 65.
News of Jordan’s death was announced in a statement yesterday on social media: “On Oct 2 2026, surrounded by her loving family, Sass Jordan peacefully crossed over to the other side. She remains in our hearts, an inimitable force of nature. An irreplaceable being of light and joy!”
The cause of the singer’s death is not yet known, though we do know that last month she announced she was stepping away from her professional commitments due to an “undisclosed medical condition.”
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Jordan’s PR Eric Alper has added in a statement: “Over four decades, she gave Canadian rock one of its most recognisable voices, carved out space for women in a genre long dominated by men, and opened doors for the young musicians who came through her band.”
The singer was born in Birmingham in the UK, though her family moved to Montreal when she was just three. Her career took a while to get going – she released her debut album Tell Somebody in 1988. The title track was a hit and Jordan was a consistent presence in the Canadian charts for a decade.
She later became a judge on Canadian Idol in the Noughties and tried her hand at acting, playing Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway hit Love, Janis. More recently she joined The Bowie Celebration Alumni Tour, a tribute to the late star put together by Mike Garson.
Garson has been one of many to post his tribute to her, saying: “I’m heartbroken to hear of the passing of Sass Jordan. She was an extraordinary singer, but what I remember just as much was the person behind that unmistakable voice.”
“She had a great heart, a wonderful spirit, an incredible feel for the music, and a wicked sense of humour. She was an absolute joy to work with, both onstage and off.”
Meanwhile, Deep Purple man Glenn Hughes has written: “Gab and I are totally in shock, RIP my dear friend Sass. A true friend. We had so much love, joy and laughter, and music together. RIP My Sasseroonie Girl.”
And fellow Canadian rock singer Lee Aaron has posted: “Oh man… unexpected and crushing… my heartfelt condolences go out to Sass Jordan’s family, bandmates and loved ones. The world has lost a formidable talent. RIP sweet rock’n’roll sister…I thought we’d have many more years of making music and getting silly backstage together.”
