Iconic '90s singer dies aged 66 after tragic house fire
The singer-songwriter tragically died in a house fire in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Thursday, May 1, as confirmed by a representative to Variety.
Jill was scheduled to perform in Denver on Friday at Swallow Hill Music's Tuft Theater with a show titled "Jill Sobule presents: Songs From F--k 7th Grade and More", reports The Mirror US.
In light of her passing, the theatre will host an informal gathering led by her friend Ron Bostwick from 105.5 FM. Her manager, John Porter, released a heartfelt statement to Variety, saying: "Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture.
"I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory, and legacy continue to live on and inspire others."
Jill's booking agent, Craig Grossman, said: "I was fortunate enough to get to know Jill beyond a professional relationship. No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond."
Ken Hertz, Jill's longtime attorney, added: "Jill wasn't just a client. She was family to us. She showed up for every birth, every birthday, and every holiday. She performed at our daughter's wedding, and I was her 'tech' when she performed by Zoom from our living room (while living with us) during the pandemic."
The songstress was born in Denver in 1959 and made her mark on the music scene in 1990 with her debut album, Things Here Are Different. Five years on, Jill dropped her eponymous album Jill Sobule, which featured her groundbreaking track, I Kissed a Girl.
This was one of the first openly LGBTQ+ songs to make it into the Billboard Top 20. The album also boasted her popular single, Supermodel.
Jill was a staunch human rights advocate, using her music as a platform to address challenging issues such as capital punishment, anorexia nervosa, shoplifting, reproduction and the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule, and her beloved nephews, Ian Matthew and Robert and Robert's wife Irina. She is also survived by numerous beloved cousins and countless friends.
There will be a formal memorial celebrating her life and legacy later this summer.
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