Legendary Singer, Etta James, who was known for her sultry and powerful voice, died earlier today in California after recently being diagnosed with terminal leukemia. James passed away just days short of her 74th birthday which would have been on January 25th.
Born Jamesetta Hawkins, in Los Angeles, CA, James did not know her father although it was rumoured that he was a Professional Billiards Player named Rudolf Wanderone, Jr. better known as Minnesota Fats. According to her autobiography, he didn't confirm or deny it when they met later years. Her mother, who was about 14 years old when she gave birth to Etta, was reportedly a substance abuser and spent little time raising her. As a result, James was raised by the people who owned the rooming house where her mother once lived. Eventually, she moved with her mother, Dorothy Hawkins, to the San Francisco area where she developed a love for doo wop music and formed a girl group.
She got her start in the industry in the mid 1950's at the age of 15 after meeting Bandleader Johnny Otis, a pioneer in the music industry. Otis, who is responsible for discovering many talented singers including Jackie Wilson and Hank Ballard, reportedly gave her the stage name "Etta James" and later took her on tour.
James began singing gospel in her church choir at the age of five later becoming an R&B/Doo Wop singer. But, as her voice changed through the course of her 6 decades in the music industry, her sound crossed over into jazz, soul, rock, pop and funk. In 1959, James signed to a Chicago label called Chess Records and was their first soul singer.
With hits in the 1950's and 60's like "Sunday Kind of Love," "Something's Got a Hold on Me," and one of her most popular tunes, "At Last," James won numerous awards including six Grammy Awards, 17 Blues Music Awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003. Singer, Beyonce, portrayed James in the 2008 film, Cadillac Records.
James battled through various addictions and illnesses during her career including Alzeheimer's, and in 2011 her health took a turn as she was diagnosed with leukemia.
James' Mother, Dorothy, died in 2002. Sadly, this past Tuesday, Johnny Otis also passed away in California at the age of 90.
James is survived by her husband, Artis Mills, two sons in their 40s, Donto and Sametto, who played in her band, and several grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements have not be released as yet.
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