Betty Davis, funk music pioneer, dies at 77: 'There is no other'

Betty Davis, funk pioneer and ex-wife of jazz icon Miles Davis, has died. She was 77.

Davis died early Wednesday in her hometown of Homestead, Pennsylvania, according to a press release. No cause of death has been given.

“It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Betty Davis, a multi-talented music influencer and pioneer rock star, singer, songwriter, and fashion icon,” said longtime friend Connie Portis in the release. “Today we cherish her memory as the sweet, thoughtful, and reflective person she was...There is no other.”

Davis wrote The Chambers Brothers’ 1967 song “Uptown (to Harlem)” and also penned songs for The Commodores, which helped the R&B band land a deal with Motown Records. Davis helped push the boundaries of mainstream music at the time with her own catalogue by merging "pre-punk" and "funk-blues" styles.

“Our hearts are incredibly heavy today," said Matt Sullivan of Light in the Attic Records, which reissued Davis' music in the 2000s. "Her unbending DIY ethic and groundbreaking spirit will live on forever. We are going to miss her so much.”

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As one of the first Black women to write, arrange and produce her own material, Davis became known for her uncompromising and independent approach to crafting songs. For one, she turned down a songwriting deal with Motown Records because the label wanted to be the sole owner of her music. Davis also refused to work with singer-songwriter Eric Clapton as her album producer because she thought of the guitarist as "too banal."

Davis married Miles Davis in 1968 and played a pivotal role in the musician's creative life, introducing him to the psychedelic rock genre, as well as singer and guitar virtuoso Jimi Hendrix. Davis inspired the sound of Miles' platinum-selling album "Bitches Brew."The two divorced just a year later in 1969. 

To this day, Davis' music continues to reach new generations. Her songs have been featured in television shows such as "Orange Is the New Black," "Girlboss," "Mixed-ish" and "High Fidelity." Rappers Ice Cube and Talib Kweli have also sampled her songs.

Outside of music, Davis also worked as a model for Wilhelmina, and became one of the first Black models to be featured in Glamour and Seventeen magazines. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she worked for designers Halston, Betsey Johnson, Norma Kamali and Stephen Burrows.

Fellow musicians and fans of Davis have taken to social media to express their appreciation for her life and artistry.

"👑👑👑👑👑 Betty Davis 👑👑👑👑👑 rip👑👑👑👑," wrote Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who included “Uptown (to Harlem)” in the documentary "Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)."

"Rest in Power Betty Davis," actor Elijah Wood tweeted.

"The reach of her influence & sonic lineage is immense," poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib tweeted. "You've heard her, even if you think you've never heard her. I'm glad we got her at all."

Author Tressie McMillan Cottom said Davis was a "beacon for strange Black girls who just don’t want to be tied down."

"I play Betty Davis about once a week," Cottom tweeted. "What an icon. It seems she, too, has said enough of this world."

Portis said there will be a tribute at some point to honor Davis' "beautiful, bold, and brash persona."