Sass Jordan, Rock Singer and 'Canadian Idol' Judge, Dies at 65
Sass Jordan, the powerhouse rock singer who became a household name in Canada as a judge on "Canadian Idol," has died. She was 65.
Jordan died on Friday, October 2, her family announced through her publicist. She "died peacefully, surrounded by those who loved her most," the family said. A cause of death was not released.
A Family's Tribute
In their statement, Jordan's family described her as "an inimitable force of nature" and "an irreplaceable being of light and joy," whose generosity touched everyone she worked and spent time with, according to Blabbermouth.
A statement shared with People magazine also noted that Jordan "carved out space for women in a genre long dominated by men."
Her death came three months after she canceled the rest of her 2026 performances because of what was described as "a serious medical condition," Geo News reported. The specific illness was not disclosed.
Jordan is survived by her husband, musician Derek Sharp, her daughter, Stella Jordan-Sharp, her stepdaughter, Brianne Sharp, and her brother, Daniel Jordan.
A Rock and Blues Powerhouse
Born in Birmingham, England, Jordan moved with her family to Montreal when she was 3 years old. She made her recording debut in 1986 as a co-lead vocalist on the band Bündock's album "Mauve" and worked as a session singer for Montreal acts before launching her solo career with the 1988 album "Tell Somebody" on Atlantic Records.
The record earned her the 1989 Juno Award for most promising female vocalist, and she went on to receive several more Juno nominations in the 1990s.
Her breakthrough came with the 1992 album "Racine," which became her signature work and sold about 450,000 copies worldwide. Songs like "Make You a Believer" and "Sun's Gonna Rise" became rock radio staples, and Billboard named her its top female rock artist that year.
Known for her raspy, soulful voice, Jordan toured with some of the biggest names in rock, including Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Van Halen.
'The Bodyguard' Duet
One of Jordan's most widely heard recordings came in 1992, when she teamed up with Joe Cocker for the duet "Trust in Me" on the soundtrack to "The Bodyguard." The film's star, Kevin Costner, chose her after hearing her on his car radio.
The soundtrack, released by Clive Davis's Arista Records, became one of the best-selling albums of all time, powered by Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You."
Jordan also tried her hand at acting. She played Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway production "Love, Janis" in 2001 and guest-starred on the 1990s TV drama "Sisters."
Six Seasons on 'Canadian Idol'
For a new generation of fans, Jordan was best known as a judge on "Canadian Idol," the homegrown version of "American Idol." She was the only woman on the judging panel and served for all six seasons of the show, beginning in 2003.
In later years, Jordan returned to her blues roots. Her 2020 album "Rebel Moon Blues" debuted at No. 5 on Billboard's Blues Albums chart, and she released her final studio album, "Bitches Blues," in 2022.
Along the way she released a steady stream of records, including "Rats" in 1994, "Present" in 1997, "Hot Gossip" in 2000 and "Get What You Give" in 2006. In 2017, she marked the 25th anniversary of her biggest album with "Racine Revisited," a fresh recording of the original songs. A live album, "Live in New York Ninety-Four," followed in 2023.
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