Sass Jordan, the Montréal-raised rock singer whose powerhouse vocals made her one of the most recognizable figures in Canadian rock, has died at 63. Her family announced that she died October 2, surrounded by loved ones. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Jordan had cancelled her remaining 2026 performances in September after her team said she was dealing with a “serious medical condition.”
Born Sarah Jordan in Birmingham, England, Jordan moved to Montréal with her family at the age of three. She began performing in the city's clubs as a teenager before launching her solo career with Tell Somebody in 1988. The album earned her the 1989 Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist and established her as a major player in the Canadian rock scene.
Her biggest commercial breakthrough came with 1992's Racine, which produced several of her signature songs, including “Make You a Believer,” “You Don't Have to Remind Me” and “Goin' Back Again.” Two years later, Rats delivered another enduring hit with “High Road Easy.”
Jordan's career also took her well beyond the Canadian rock circuit. She recorded “Trust in Me” with Joe Cocker for The Bodyguard soundtrack and toured and performed alongside Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Van Halen.
She was also an important early figure in the career of Taylor Hawkins. The future Foo Fighters drummer played in Jordan's band during the Rats era, gaining major touring experience before joining Alanis Morissette and eventually Foo Fighters, with frontman Dave Grohl crediting Jordan for Hawkins joining the Foo Fighters.
A new generation knew Jordan as a judge on Canadian Idol, where she appeared throughout all six seasons from 2003 to 2008. Later, she returned increasingly to her blues roots, releasing Rebel Moon Blues in 2020 and Bitches Blues in 2022.
In a statement announcing her death, Jordan's family called her an “inimitable force of nature” and an “irreplaceable being of light and joy.”
