Jean Knight, the funk singer behind one of the genre’s biggest hits, 1971’s “Mr. Big Stuff,” has died. She was 80 years old. The singer’s longtime friend and former Louisiana Music Commission executive director, Bernie Cyrus, confirmed the news to Rolling Stone . “She was the first person we appointed on the board when we took it over and we had a long relationship with her and she was just fabulous,” Cyrus told the outlet. “She was always willing to get involved with good causes and help out.” He added that her biggest hit, “Mr. Big Stuff,” “was just so universal. “People remember it. And look, so many people covered it. But nobody did it like Jean.” Knight was born in New Orleans and started singing shortly after graduating high school. She captured the attention of several bands in the area, who would later back her up live. In 1965, she recorded her first song, a cover of Jackie Wilson’s “Stop Doggin’ Me Around.” The demo led to her securing a recording contract with Jet...
