- Mr. Big Stuff peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon its release
- It spent another five weeks at the top of the Billboard Soul Singles chart
- Other singles Knight released throughout her career included Carry On, Do Me, My Toot Toot, Helping Man, Jesse Joe (You Got to Go) and You Think You’re Hot Stuff
- “New Orleans and her global fan base unite in gratitude for the indelible mark she left on the world,” her family said
Mr. Big Stuff singer Jean Knight has died of natural causes at the age of 80, according to her publicist.
The 80-year-old R&B and soul singer’s death was originally reported by veteran broadcaster New Orleans LBJwho released a press release from her family last Wednesday, which was subsequently confirmed by TMZ.
“Jean Knight’s legacy is not just musical; “It is a testament to the enduring love between an artist, her hometown and the fans who adored her,” her family said in a statement. “As we say goodbye to this iconic soul-stress, New Orleans and her global fan base unite in gratitude for the indelible mark she left on the world.”
Other singles Knight released throughout her career included Carry On, Do Me, My Toot Toot, Helping Man, Jesse Joe (You Got to Go) and You Think You’re Hot Stuff.
Knight, best known for her 1971 song Mr. Big Stuff, which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon its release and number one on the Billboard Soul Singles chart for another five weeks.
Mr. Big Stuff singer Jean Knight has died aged 80. Pictured in New Orleans in 2014
The 80-year-old R&B and soul singer’s death was first reported by veteran New Orleans broadcaster LBJ last Wednesday when he released a statement from her family
Knight’s family noted her vaunted career in their statement, pointing to her stints at JetStream Records, Stax Records and eventually her own record label called Comstar.
Mr. Big Stuff, the New Orleans singer’s catchy song, has become a staple in other media such as television, film and other music through sampling.
Productions using the song include Black-ish, Everwood, Family Guy, The Deuce, Semi-Pro and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Music artists who have sampled or remixed the track include Queen Latifah, John Legend, the Beastie Boys, TLC, Eazy-E, Heavy D & The Boyz, Everclear and Girl Talk.
The track has also been covered by artists such as Precious Metal and Lyn Collins.
The musician was pictured on stage in her native New Orleans in 1986
The singer was pictured during a performance in 1970
The entertainer was pictured in New Orleans in April 2012
Mr. Big Stuff singer Jean Knight dies of natural causes aged 80: ‘We say goodbye to this iconic soul-stress’