Dame Cleo Laine, widely regarded as Britain’s most celebrated jazz singer, died peacefully on July 24, 2025, at her home in Wavendon, England, at the age of 97.
Her death was confirmed by her children, Jacqui and Alec Dankworth, in a statement: “It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Cleo, who died peacefully yesterday afternoon. We will all miss her terribly. The family wish to be given space to grieve and ask for privacy at this very difficult time.” Monica Ferguson, artistic director of The Stables, a music venue and charity Laine co-founded with her husband, Sir John Dankworth, also noted that Laine “will be greatly missed, but her unique talent will always be remembered.”
No specific cause of death was disclosed.
Born Clementine Dinah Hitching (or Campbell, as she was raised) on October 28, 1927, in Southall, Middlesex, to a Jamaican father, Alexander Sylvan Campbell, and an English mother, Minnie Bullock, Laine grew up in modest circumstances. Her father was a laborer, and her mother sent her for singing and dancing lessons from an early age. Laine worked various jobs after leaving school at 14, including as a hairdresser and librarian, before launching her professional singing career in her mid-20s.
Laine’s breakthrough came in 1951 when she auditioned for the Johnny Dankworth Seven, adopting the stage name Cleo Laine after her birth name was deemed too long for posters.
She married Dankworth in 1958, and they became Britain’s “royal couple of jazz,” performing together for decades until his death in 2010.
Laine was renowned for her scat singing, smoky contralto voice, and a four-octave range, which allowed her to excel in jazz, pop, and classical music. She was the only female singer to receive Grammy nominations in all three categories, winning Best Female Jazz Vocal Performance in 1986 for her album Cleo at Carnegie: The 10th Anniversary Concert.
Her career spanned over six decades, with notable performances at Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and Broadway, where she earned a Tony nomination in 1986 for her role as Princess Puffer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Laine collaborated with luminaries like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and James Galway, and her repertoire included works by Kurt Weill, Arnold Schoenberg, and Stephen Sondheim.