Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone and best known for her hit song Wish I Didn’t Miss You, tragically died in a car crash early Saturday. She was 63.
The accident occurred around 4 a.m. while Stone was traveling back to Atlanta from Alabama. According to music producer Walter Millsap III, the vehicle she was riding in flipped over and was subsequently struck by a big rig. Stone was the only fatality in the crash, while the other passengers in the cargo van survived, Millsap told The Associated Press via email.
Stone had been scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s championship basketball game on Saturday. In her honor, CIAA Chaplain Pastor Jerome Barber called for a moment of silence during the event.
Angie Stone, was a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and actress. Born Angela Laverne Brown on December 18, 1961, in Columbia, South Carolina, she discovered her passion for music at a young age, singing in church choirs and drawing inspiration from gospel greats like Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin.
Stone’s professional career began in the late 1970s as a member of The Sequence, one of the first all-female hip-hop groups. Signed to Sugar Hill Records, the trio—consisting of Stone (then known as Angie B), Cheryl “The Pearl” Cook, and Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm—made history with their 1979 hit Funk You Up, which became one of the earliest rap songs to achieve mainstream success.
After The Sequence disbanded, Stone transitioned into R&B, working as a songwriter and background vocalist for artists like Lenny Kravitz, D’Angelo, and Mary J. Blige. She played a crucial role in shaping the neo-soul movement of the 1990s, particularly through her collaborations with D’Angelo on his critically acclaimed albums Brown Sugar (1995) and Voodoo (2000).
In 1999, Stone launched her solo career with Black Diamond, an album that introduced her rich, husky vocals and heartfelt songwriting to a broader audience. The album, featuring hits like No More Rain (In This Cloud), earned critical and commercial acclaim. She followed up with Mahogany Soul (2001), which included one of her most iconic songs, Wish I Didn’t Miss You, a soulful ballad that remains a staple in R&B playlists.
Over the years, Stone released multiple albums, including Stone Love (2004), The Art of Love & War (2007), and Dream (2015), each showcasing her ability to blend classic soul with modern R&B influences. Her work earned her several Grammy nominations, BET and Soul Train Music Awards, and the admiration of both peers and fans.
Stone was a mother of two. Her daughter, Diamond, was born in 1984 during her marriage to Rodney Stone, known as Lil’ Rodney C! from the hip-hop group Funky Four Plus One. Diamond later contributed background vocals to Stone’s 2007 song Baby. She also made Stone a grandmother, welcoming her first child in 2008 and a second in July 2012.
In the 1990s, Stone was in a relationship with neo-soul singer D’Angelo. The couple had a son, Michael D’Angelo Archer II, who was born in 1998.
Beyond music, Stone ventured into acting, appearing in films like The Fighting Temptations and TV shows including R&B Divas: Atlanta. Despite health struggles, including a battle with Type 2 diabetes, she remained an active force in music and entertainment.
Rest In Peace.
