Betty Davis, raw funk pioneer, dies at 77

Trailblazing funk artist and second wife of Miles Davis released three influential albums in the 1970s before leaving the industry

• Betty Davis, the trailblazing raw funk pioneer of the 1970s who spent decades after a blistering music career out of the spotlight, has died at the age of 77.(Sources: BBC -  The Guardian)

Davis blazed a trail with her raw brand of funk and sexual lyrics that would go on to influence stars including Prince and Madonna.

#BettyDavis 07/26/1945 - 02/09/2022
This lady was hip before hip was hip. Her musical and fashion expression had no boundaries, and she influenced the likes of Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix. ‘Nuff said. Rest in paradise, Queen. pic.twitter.com/cbj0mQFiRM

— Lenny Kravitz (@LennyKravitz) February 9, 2022

News of her death was confirmed on her website by her friend Constance Portis.

Tributes have been paid to Davis by stars including US rocker Lenny Kravitz and the estate of Prince, which wrote about her influence on him.

Prince's estate noted how the late star once referenced Davis's work in an interview, saying "this is what we aim for".

Known for her overtly sexual lyrics and raw, wild voice, Davis was an influential musician and significant figure in New York’s late-60s music scene. Nearly all her catalog was recorded between 1964 and 1975. She released three albums in the 1970s – 1973’s Betty Davis, 1974’s They Say I’m Different and 1975’s Nasty Gal – which gained her a reputation as a cult hero for explicitness and sensuous carnality years ahead of her time.