The Swiss singer Lys Assia, the first winner of the Eurovision song contest, passed away on Saturday aged 94. Assia, who won with the song Refrain in the first edition of the contest in 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland, died on Saturday in a Zurich hospital, Eurovision said in a statement. Organizers of the contest offered their “deepest condolences” to Assia’s friends and family and said they will be paying tribute to her “life and her lasting commitment” to Eurovision. "The passing of Lys Assia seems to have struck a particular chord in the Eurovision community," it added. describing her as the "first lady" of the competition. Assia, whose real name was Rosa Mina Schärer, was born in 1924 in Rupperswil, in the north of Switzerland. she began her career as a dancer before turning to singing. Her association with Eurovision was long-lasting and in 2005 she performed in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Her death closely follows that of former Eurovision host Katie Boyle, who died at her home in the UK aged 91 last week.