Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone passes away in a car accident

Grammy-nominated R&B artiste Angie Stone, famous for her soulful songs and trailblazing work in hip-hop, died in a car accident early yesterday morning. The 63-year-old singer was driving back to Atlanta from Alabama when the car she was riding in flipped over and was hit by a tractor-trailer.

The fatal accident that claimed Angie Stone’s life

The accident happened about 4:25 am on Interstate 65, south of Montgomery, Alabama. The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van transporting Stone and others overturned, and then a Freightliner truck collided with it before the police arrived, reports say. While some other passengers in the van were rushed to the hospital for treatment, Stone was pronounced dead at the scene. The authorities are yet to determine the reason why the accident happened.

Friends, colleagues, and family are grieving the sudden loss of the R&B icon. Angie Stone’s children, Diamond and Michael Archer, reacted in a statement, calling the news ‘unimaginable.’ Her manager of many years, Walter Millsap III, referred to the tragedy as “devastating beyond words.”

Angie Stone’s Legacy of soul and hip-Hop

Angie Stone's professional life lasted decades, starting from The Sequence, which was among the first female rap groups, and later becoming an R&B artist with successful songs such as Wish I Didn’t Miss You and No More Rain (In This Cloud). Her unique voice assisted in creating the neo-soul genre along with other artists such as Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Maxwell.

A Life rooted in music

Born in South Carolina, Columbia, Angie Stone came from a musically inclined background. Her gospel and blues introduction in her childhood days inspired her to create The Sequence, and they became popular for their chart-topping song Funk You Up, which was soon sampled by Dr. Dre. As a solo performer, too, she met with success and had albums like Mahogany Soul and The Art of Love & War.

Beyond music: Acting and Broadway

Angie Stone was not only a singer—she had her talents featured in Hollywood and on Broadway. She starred in movies like The Fighting Temptations and Ride Along and played the legendary role of Big Mama Morton in Chicago on Broadway.

Hours before the accident, Angie Stone was to appear at the CIAA Championship halftime show, where she was remembered in a moment of silence. Her fans and peers continue to honour her legacy as a pathfinder who infused raw emotion and authenticity into her music.

Angie Stone’s influence on music, especially on R&B and hip-hop, is ever-lasting. Her beautiful voice and passionate lyrics will go on to influence generations, guaranteeing that she leaves a legacy.