Judee Sill was a 1970s American singer-songwriter known for her spiritual, genre-blending music. Around the time of high school, Judee Sill participated in a series of armed robberies and was later arrested. She spent nine months in reform school, where she played church organ and was introduced to gospel music. Despite early struggles with addiction and crime, she released two critically praised albums on Asylum Records. Her work, especially songs like “Jesus Was a Cross Maker,” gained cult status after her 1979 overdose. A 2022 documentary renewed interest in her legacy.