Jean Knight, soul singer known for feisty 1971 hit ‘Mr. Big Stuff,’ dies at 80

Jean Knight, a soul singer whose hits included the feisty “Mr. “New Orleans and the music world mourns the loss of one of its most treasured musical daughters,” the family said in a statement. The Grammy ultimately went to Franklin that year for “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Knight’s longtime friend Bernie Cyrus, the executive director of the Louisiana Music Commission, also paid tribute to the soul singer. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Cyrus also marveled at the staying power of Knight’s “universal” hit, “Mr. “The family of Jean Knight kindly requests privacy during this difficult time and expresses heartfelt gratitude for the love and support from fans,” the statement concluded.