Soul Singer Jean Knight, Known for 'Mr. Big Stuff', Dies at 80

Knight's Hit Song Marked the End of the Golden Age of New Orleans R&B and Kick-Started the City's Funky Soul Era

Jean Knight, the soul singer known for her hit 'Mr. Big Stuff', has died at the age of 80.
'Mr. Big Stuff' topped Billboard’s R&B chart and rose to No. 2 on the magazine’s Hot 100, and was certified double platinum for selling at least two million units.
The song marked the end of the Golden Age of New Orleans R&B and helped to kick-start the city’s funky soul era.
Despite it being her only major hit, the song had a long afterlife, being heard on the soundtracks of numerous movies and TV shows, and being sampled by Heavy D, Eazy-E, and John Legend.
Knight was a regular at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, last appearing there in 2016, and was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2007.