Booking Cassandra Wilson

Cassandra Wilson Biography

Cassandra Wilson was born in 1955 to a musically talented father, who influenced her greatly and sparked within her an early love of music. Young Cassandra began studying piano when she was only six, and she also explored guitar as a teenager, learning mostly through self-teaching methods.  Wilson also began experimenting in songwriting, and after graduating from college, she began performing in local bars, clubs, and coffeehouses.

A move to New Orleans in the early 1980’s sparked a fascination with Jazz, and Cassandra Wilson quickly found herself learning the art of improvisation and scat singing. Under contract with JMT, an independent label based in Munich, Cassandra Wilson released her debut Point of View in 1986. The critically acclaimed work was followed by a series of equally praised albums, including: Days Aweigh (1987), Blue Skies (1988), She Who Weeps (1990), Dance to the Drums Again (1992), Blue Light ‘til Dawn (1993), New Moon Daughter (1995), Belly of the Sun (2002), Thunderbird (2006), and Silver Pony (2010.) Cassandra’s ability to blend her blues roots with vocal jazz made her a musical sensation, both critically lauded and commercially successful.

For her achievements, Cassandra Wilson has been recognized with Grammy  Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Performance (for New Moon Daughter in 1996) and Best Jazz Vocal Album (for Loverly in 2009.) Other accolades include the Miles Davis Prize from the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the BET Soul Train Award for Best Traditional Jazz Album. Cassandra Wilson recently released her latest album, Another Country, in 2012. She continues to perform, record, and tour.