RIP Etta James
Legendary blues singer Etta James died Friday (today) at Riverside Community Hospital in California from complications of leukemia, with her husband and sons at her side, according to the Associated Press. She was 73.
“Etta James was a pioneer. Her ever-changing sound has influenced rock and roll, rhythm and blues, pop, soul and jazz artists, marking her place as one of the most important female artists of our time,” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame President and CEO Terry Stewart told the AP.
“From Janis Joplin to Joss Stone, an incredible number of performers owe their debts to her. There is no mistaking the voice of Etta James, and it will live forever.”
Best known for the standard “At Last,” James — born Jamesetta Hawkins — was born in Los Angeles to a mother whom she described as a scam artist, a substance abuser and a fleeting presence during her youth, according to the AP. She never knew her father, although she was told and had believed, that he was the famous billiards player Minnesota Fats.
She was raised by Lula and Jesse Rogers, who owned the rooming house where her mother once lived in. The pair brought up James in the Christian faith, and as a young girl, her voice stood out in the church choir.
Bandleader Johnny Otis (“Willie and the Hand Jive”) found her singing on San Francisco street corners with some girlfriends in the early 1950s. After forging her mother’s signature on a note claiming she was 18, the then-15-year-old James accompanied Otis to Los Angeles to record and then tour with him. Otis, a legend in his own right, died on Tuesday.
In 1959, she signed with Chicago’s legendary Chess label, began cranking out the hits and going on tours with performers such as Bobby Vinton, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Everly Brothers.
James recorded a string of hits in the late 1950s and ’60s including “Trust In Me,” ”Something’s Got a Hold On Me,” ”Sunday Kind of Love,” ”All I Could Do Was Cry,” and of course, “At Last.”
In 1967, she cut one of the most highly regarded soul albums of all time, “Tell Mama,” an earthy fusion of rock and gospel music.
Her professional success, however, was balanced against personal demons, particularly drug addiction, according to the AP.
She was inducted into the Rock Hall in 1993. She earned a Grammy in 2003 for best contemporary blues album for “Let’s Roll,” one in 2004 for best traditional blues album for “Blues to the Bone” and one for best jazz vocal performance for 1994′s “Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday.” She was also awarded a special Grammy in 2003 for lifetime achievement and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her health went into decline, however, and by 2011, she was being cared for at home by a personal doctor. She suffered from dementia, kidney problems and leukemia, according to the AP.
In October 2011, it was announced that James was retiring from recording, and a final studio recording, “The Dreamer,” was released, featuring the singer covering classic songs, from Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Dreamer” to Guns N’ Roses “Welcome To the Jungle”
Our thoughts are with her family, friends and fans.
-BAM
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