NEW YORK — Inez Andrews, whose soaring, wide-ranging voice — from contralto croon to soul-wrenching wail — made her a pillar of gospel music, died Wednesday of cancer at home in Chicago. She was 83.

Chicago gospel icon Inez Andrews was the last of her kind, a towering figure from a golden age when giants such as Mahalia Jackson, Albertina Walker and DeLois Barrett Campbell still toured the world.

Andrews got her start as a member of The Caravans, a gospel group, in the 1950s and early 60s. She also wrote songs that many artists recorded. Andrews was also known for her signature song, "Lord Don ...