Grammy nominee Sharon Jones died Friday at 60 after losing a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to her band's website.
The soul singer was known for her high-energy performances with her band the Dap Kings; some had even called her the "female James Brown." Jones was a latecomer to the stage, starting her professional music career when she was 40.
We are deeply saddened to announce Sharon Jones passed away today. More details at https://t.co/MAag8tYrE3
Prior to leading the Dap Kings, she worked as a prison guard and often joked that the inmates didn't think she could make it in the tough setting — she was 4-foot-11 and too nice, she said in an appearance earlier this year on NPR's quiz show, "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me."
Jones was recently featured in a documentary on Starz called Miss Sharon Jones!
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Notable people we lost in 2016
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Notable people we lost in 2016
January 4 -- Robert Stigwood, manager of the Bee Gees and Cream.
(Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
January 4 -- Country singer Craig Strickland was found dead at age 29 from hypothermia.
(Photo via Instagram)
January 6 -- Pat Harrington, Jr., actor in 'One Day at a Time,' died at 86 from complications from Alzheimer's disease.
(Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
January 14 -- Actor Alan Rickman, popular for playing Professor Snape in the 'Harry Potter' films, died at 69 after battling cancer.
(Photo by Mike Pont/WireImage)
January 18 -- Glenn Frey, founding member of The Eagles, died at age 67 due to complications from multiple ailments.
(Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)
February 2 -- Jibri Bryan, #34, of the Mercer Bears was killed in a shooting at age 23.
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
February 4 -- Maurice White, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, died from the effects of Parkinson's disease at age 74.
(Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
February 4 -- Astronaut Edgar D. Mitchell, the sixth person to walk on the moon, passed away at 85 under hospice care.
(Photo via NASA)
March 9 -- Beatles producer Sir George Martin passed away at age 90, as announced by Ringo Starr on Twitter.
(Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
March 16 -- Singer Frank Sinatra Jr.
(Photo by Express/Express/Getty Images)
March 29 -- Oscar winning actress Patty Duke, at the age of 69.
(Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images)
Actor Tommy Ford passed on October 12, he was 52 years old. (Photo by Moses Robinson/Getty Images)
Agnes Nixon the creator of 'All my children' left us on September 28th at the age of 93.
(Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images)
Darrell Ward the star of 'Ice Road Truckers' life was taken in a plane crash, he was 52 years old.
Popular voice actor Jack Riley passed on August 19th. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
