Montreal-raised rock singer Sass Jordan died on October 2, 2026, at the age of 65, surrounded by her family. Known for her gritty blues-soaked vocals and hits like Tell Somebody and Make You a Believer, the Juno Award-winning artist and former Canadian Idol judge stepped away from music commitments in September due to illness.
Sass Jordan Builds Early Career In Montreal
Influenced early on by classical music in her household and later by a 1969 radio broadcast of The Band playing The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
, she immersed herself in music while still in her teens. She performed at Montreal clubs at 16 before joining the band The Pinups as a bassist and vocalist.
She cut her teeth fronting local clubs, contributing backing vocals for the Montreal new wave band The Box, and working as a session singer, writing a song for singer Michael Breen that became a Canadian Top 40 hit. Atlantic Records signed her and released her debut album, Tell Somebody, in 1988, with two singles—the title track and Double Trouble—charting just outside the Canadian Top 10. The release won her the Juno Award for most promising female vocalist of the year in 1989, and she was later nominated for best female vocalist in 1990, 1993, and 1995.
Relocating to Los Angeles in January 1990 brought a new record label, RCA, and her sophomore album, Racine, in 1992. The record featured four Canadian Top 20 hits including Make You a Believer and sold around 450,000 copies globally, earning her Billboard’s title of Female Rock Artist of the Year that same year. Her 1994 album Rats produced her only US Hot 100 hit and biggest Canadian hit, reaching No. 7 with Sun's Gonna Rise.
Joe Cocker Duet Leads To 1990s Collaborations
Jordan recorded a powerful duet with Joe Cocker titled Trust in Me for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner.
Taylor Hawkins, later the drummer for Foo Fighters, served as her live drummer during her 1990s touring period. Ottawa-based The Cooper Brothers remembered her as a life force, while American rock singer Jeff Scott Soto expressed being gutted to hear of her passing at a young age.
Jordan Records Traditional Blues Albums
Collaborating with Stony Plain Records and her husband, Derek Sharp—with whom she recorded 2009’s From Dusk ’til Dawn, 2020’s Rebel Moon Blues, and 2022’s Bitches Blues—she released blues records.
Musicians Share Tributes After Singer Dies
“She was a ray of light and a really hilarious person. The biggest heartbreak for me is that I won’t get to see that laugh again.”
Derek Downham, Canadian producer and songwriter, via CBC
Tributes poured in across social media from peers who remembered her spirit. Fellow rocker Bif Naked posted Love you forever,
while Three Days Grace co-lead singer Adam Gontier wrote that she had such an incredible impact on Canada, and Jully Black offered messages of love and light to her family and friends.
