Recording Academy Releases Statement on Passing of Jazz Icon Keely Smith

The Recording Academy has release the following statement on the passing of jazz icon Keely Smith:

DEC. 18, 2017

Keely Smith was a remarkable pop and jazz vocalist and a true icon in Las Vegas and beyond. In a career spanning more than seven decades, Keely was celebrated by fans and critics alike, praised for her powerful vocals. Her musical partnership with her first husband, Louis Prima, earned the pair a GRAMMY® Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group for 1958 at the very first GRAMMY Awards® for their hit "That Old Black Magic."

She would perform that same song 50 years later on the GRAMMY stage with Kid Rock at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Keely will be greatly missed and our sincerest condolences go out to her family, friends, and creative collaborators.

Neil Portnow
President/CEO
Recording Academy

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