Jean Knight, the New Orleans soul singer best-known for her 1971 smash “Mr. Big Stuff,” has died. TMZ reports that Knight passed away last Wednesday; a press release from her family says she died of natural causes. Knight was 80.

Jean Knight was born Jean Caliste in New Orleans. After singing in local clubs and recording a demo, she signed with the local indie label Jet Set Records and released her debut single “The Man That Left Me” in 1964. Knight released a few Jet Set singles that didn’t make any national impact, and she continued to work day jobs. In 1970, producer Wardell Quezergue recorded Knight singing the sassy, hard-strutting “Mr. Big Stuff” in a at Jackson, Mississippi’s Malaco Studio. Stax Records agreed to release the single, and it became a runaway smash, spending five weeks atop Billboard‘s Soul Singles chart and reaching #2 on the Hot 100.

Jean Knight released one album, 1971’s Mr. Big Stuff on Stax, and her follow-up single “You Think You’re Hot Stuff” was a minor hit. But Knight quickly parted ways with Stax, and she spent the rest of her career recording for smaller labels. Knight toured the oldies circuit for years, and she scored an unlikely comeback hit with 1985’s “My Toot Toot,” a cover of a novelty song from the zydeco performer Rockin’ Sidney. She continued to tour and record into this century, and “Mr. Big Stuff” continues to show up on movie soundtracks. It’s been sampled tons of times, too.

Below, check out some of Jean Knight’s work.

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