Beloved Vocalist Reportedly Dies After ‘Rare Autoimmune Condition’ Diagnosis: Judy Cheeks Was 71

Iconic R&B singer Judy Cheeks has died. She was 71.

According to her friend Bill Shrader, she passed away “peacefully in the arms of her husband” last Tuesday after battling an autoimmune disorder.

“Friends of Judy Cheeks, I’m so sorry to tell you that Judy passed away, peacefully in the arms of husband, on Tuesday evening,” Shrader wrote in a Facebook post. “I waited until now to tell you so that you could enjoy Thanksgiving before hearing such sad news. I know that is the way Judy would have wanted it. Please pray for her beautiful sweet soul and for her husband who loved her so much.”

Cheeks was best-known for her work with Ike & Tina Turner, where she performed as an Ikette. She recorded eleven albums of her own throughout her career, with the most recent album releasing in 2020. Her biggest songs were “Mellow Lovin,” “Reach,”, and “Respect,” all of which were major Billboard hits.

She also sang backing vocals for many of the biggest artists of the era, like Stevie Wonder, Amanda Lear, and Donna Summer. In addition, the Jackson 5 covered her song “We’re Gonna Change Our Style” just before they ended their Motown era.

A GoFundMe created back in July said the singer had “been battling a rare autoimmune condition for more than nine months now,” and that she “spent the last three months in hospital, two of them in ICU” at the time of writing.

Filmmaker Alan Cross honored her memory with a Facebook post.

“Judy worked with some of the truly great artists, had enormous talent and didn’t suffer fools gladly. We hit it off instantly and stayed in touch until recently, when she suddenly went quiet,” he wrote. “I knew something was up, and to hear she has now passed has come as a shock. I’ll never forget the voice and that loving smile! Sleep well, dear Judy. RIP.”