Molly Hammer, blues and jazz singer from Mission, dies from cancer at 48

Molly Hammer, a jazz and blues vocalist from Mission, died Nov. 24 after many years living with cancer. She was 48. File photo.

Molly Hammer, a jazz and blues vocalist from Mission, died Nov. 24 after more than a decade of living with cancer. She was 48.

Hammer was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. She became a vocal advocate for cancer awareness, while maintaining a thriving music and acting career through multiple bouts of cancer and treatment. Over her life and career, she performed on local stages such as the Green Lady Lounge, the Blue Room and Chaz on the Plaza, and released four albums, including one just last month called “I’m Feeling Mellow.”

Hammer’s mother, Roberta Hammer, announced her daughter’s death on Facebook on Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving.