The 'Sycamore Trees' singer's biographer David Ritz confirms the iconic singer's passing to media, saying that Scott died at his Las Vegas home.
- Jun 14, 2014
AceShowbiz - Jazz singer Jimmy Scott, who is known for his signature high-pitched voice, has passed away. His biographer David Ritz confirmed the sad news to Washington Post, saying that Scott passed away on Thursday, June 12 at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 88.
Scott's wife Jeanie Scott, whom he married 10 years ago, additionally told The Associated Press that her singer husband died in his sleep. "He was an Earth angel. He was different from any person I ever met. He was kind, humble. Everyone he met he made them feel special. He had a hard life, but he didn't hold any resentment," she was quoted as saying.
The late singer apparently influenced many other musicians such as Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Frankie Valli and Marvin Gaye. Madonna once said, "Jimmy Scott is the only singer who makes me cry."
Scott was born on July 17, 1925 in Cleveland. He had a hereditary condition called Kallmann's syndrome which prevented him from experiencing puberty. Scott's signature voice was the result of his condition, which also affected his height. He stood 4 feet, 11 inches tall and grew a few more inches in his mid 30s.
Scott first rose to fame after taking part in Lionel Hampton Band's "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" in 1949. His name, however, was not mentioned in the credits. He released "Falling in Love Is Wonderful" in 1963 and later Grammy-nominated album "All the Way" in 1992 after being rediscovered by a music exec. Scott also made appearance on the finale of "Twin Peaks" to sing "Sycamore Trees" which was co-written with showrunner David Lynch.
