Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone, known for her hit “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” and as a member of the pioneering female hip-hop trio The Sequence, tragically died in a car crash early Saturday at the age of 63.
According to her longtime manager, Walter Millsap III, Stone was traveling back to Atlanta from Alabama when the vehicle she was in overturned and was struck by a large truck around 4 a.m. She was the only fatality, while others in the van survived.
The Alabama Highway Patrol confirmed the accident, stating that a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van flipped on Interstate 65 before being hit by a Freightliner Cascadia truck. Stone was pronounced dead at the scene, about five miles south of Montgomery.
The van’s driver and seven other passengers were taken to a hospital for treatment, and authorities are still investigating the crash.
Her children, Diamond and Michael Archer, expressed their devastation, saying in a statement that they were struggling to process the loss. Millsap echoed their sentiments, calling it an “unexpected and unfortunate tragedy.”
Stone was set to perform at the CIAA Men’s Championship basketball game halftime show on Saturday. In her honor, CIAA officials held a moment of silence, with Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker acknowledging her legacy of strength and inspiration.
A major figure in the neo-soul movement of the early 2000s, Stone delivered hits like “No More Rain (In This Cloud)” and “Baby” featuring Betty Wright, both of which topped the Billboard Adult R&B chart. Her 2001 album Mahogany Soul and 2007’s The Art of Love & War solidified her place in R&B history.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Stone began her career as part of The Sequence, the first all-female rap group signed to Sugar Hill Records, which released the influential song “Funk You Up.” After later joining the group Vertical Hold, she launched a successful solo career that spanned decades.
Beyond music, Stone showcased her versatility in acting, with roles in The Hot Chick, The Fighting Temptations, and Ride Along. She also starred on Broadway as Big Mama Morton in Chicago and appeared on reality shows like Celebrity Fit Club and R&B Divas: Atlanta.
Despite past health struggles, including a battle with congestive heart failure, Stone had expressed a renewed sense of purpose in recent years, embracing a healthier lifestyle and continued musical success. Reflecting on her career in 2007, she shared her gratitude, saying, “I feel complete… Now I feel like I’m on my way to a happily ever after.”
