Ida McBeth, a jazz giant in a town that prides itself on the form, died Wednesday at the age of 70. “She was a Kansas City musical force and light, unmatched in melody and soul,” the American Jazz Museum said in a release Wednesday announcing McBeth’s death. “May the warmth of her smile and tone carry us through.” “I call her Kansas City’s first lady of song,” said local jazz historian and radio host Chuck Haddix. “Soul, blues, jazz — very few vocalists had her breadth and range. She could hit the low notes and the high notes, and she was a force of nature on stage. She could completely dominate a room.” Look back at McBeth's life at the link in our bio. #KansasCity #JazzMusic #KCMO #JazzSinger #IdaMcBeth