"I'm gonna take this light around the world and I'm gonna let it shine."
This is a line from "Little Light of Mine," one of the Christian hymns sung by American gospel singer Sharon Jones as she lay dying of cancer in her hospital bed, World Religion News (WRN) reported.
Indeed, Jones took the "light around the world"—her undying faith in God—and "let it shine" to inspire people.
Knowing that her time on earth was ticking away fast, Jones kept on singing, moaning in pain as she did so, but enduring it until she breathed her last, according to those who were with her in her final moments. She also sang "Amazing Grace" and "Go Tell It on the Mountain" among her favourite gospel songs.
Jones died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 60 at a hospital in Cooperstown, New York on Nov. 18.
In the last interview she granted, she said facing cancer did not weaken her faith, adding that the way she lived her life gave her confidence to face death. She was also assured by her pastor that all the good things she had done would "add up to get her to meet her Creator face to face," according to WRN.
Jones believed singing was a gift God had given her, and she happily used the gift to praise the Lord and inspire people to turn to Him.
In the months prior to her death, Jones reportedly became more and more spiritual, with her illness even boosting her faith.
Jones was part of the Dap-Kings' band which toured the world for more than a decade, combining funk, soul and gospel, The Gospel Herald reported.
Although she was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, Jones pursued her singing career, receiving a Grammy nomination in 2014 for her album, "Give the People What They Want."
She "was one of the most phenomenal human beings I've ever met," filmmaker Barbara Kopple told Variety just a few days after Jones' death. "She had incredible strength ... Fighting a personal battle wasn't going to get her down."
In that interview, Jones revealed to Kopple that early in her musical career, she was told by one music executive that she was too black, too fat and too short.
"But then she wore that insult, almost like a badge of honour," said Kopple.
Before she became a musical artist, Jones was a corrections officer at Rikers Island and a security guard. Her singing talent was eventually recognised, and she released her first album at the age 40.
She was nominated for her first Grammy in 2015.
