Jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, famous for her huge vocal range and wide musical repertoire, has died at the age of 97. In a long career, Dame Cleo was the first British singer to win a Grammy Award in a jazz category and performed with all the greats - including Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.

I don’t consider myself a jazz singer… I’m a singer of songs,” said the vocal star, who won a Grammy in the Best Female Jazz Vocal Performance category.

Cleo Laine, considered by many to be the U.K.’s preeminent jazz singer, and an accomplished theater actress in her home country as well as on Broadway, died Thursday at age 97.