Mississippi-born pianist, singer and songwriter Mose Allison died earlier today.

The New York Times reports that the 89-year-old musician, who earned a sizable following with his influential fusion of jazz and blues, passed away of natural causes at his home in Hilton Head, SC.

Allison was born near Tippo, MS on November 11, 1927. After a brief stint in the army, he graduated from LSU in 1952 before moving to New York City a few years later. There he honed his piano skills and joined forces with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan.

However, Allison is most revered for the effortlessness with which he blended his vocals with his piano playing. Allison’s laid back style found plenty of fans among early rock icons like The Kinks, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. His tunes were performed by artists from a wide range of genres, from Bonnie Raitt and Elvis Costello to The Clash, Johnny Winter and and fellow Mississippian, Bobbie Gentry. Alt-rock pioneers Pixies even wrote their 1990 song “Allison” about him, though the tune bears little resemblance to anything he ever put out.

Allison performed in New Orleans on countless occasions, and last took the stage at Jazz Fest in 2007. He was also somewhat of a regular at Snug Harbor, a venue that hosted his national tours for nearly 25 years.

In 2012, Allison’s birthplace was given a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail. The following year, the pianist and singer, who always considered himself a jazz artist, received one of the genre’s highest honors when he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.