This past Friday, October 2, we lost another musical legend, the one and only Sass Jordan. She was 63. Sarah Jordan was born in Britain, and her family moved when she was three years old to Montreal. She sang and played guitar and wrote most of her own music. She's known for her smoky voice with an occasional bit of grit to remind you that she comes from the blues tradition.
Friends have described her as funny and foul-mouthed at times. Her first hit, "Tell Somebody," reached #11 on the Canadian charts in 1988, and her singles appearances continued until 1998. She remained active with new music and touring, and I'm pleased that I saw her open for Styx at the Round-Up Centre in Calgary in the early 2000s. I knew nothing about her before the concert, which my wife and I arrived late to, but as we were entering the building her unmistakeable voice seemed to echo throughout the entire Stampede grounds! Many of her hits had a pop appeal but were certainly blues/rock oriented. She even played with the late Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the Foo Fighters, and was the one who brought him to Dave Grohl's attention!
Despite her catalogue of Canadian hits, most Canadians know her from a song that doesn't appear in her discography except as an album cut: "Pissin' Down." I feel that this song best illustrates her grit and power. When I saw her in concert, it was the last song she sang. Although saddened at the loss of one of the truly unique voices of our time, I want to celebrate her life, so I invite you all to experience her music through a playlist of some of her best stuff.
