Although it's not entirely unexpected, it comes as a shock nonetheless, R&B legend Etta James passing away this morning from leukemia at the age of 73 years old. As we've been reporting the last few months, James had been suffering from a host of health issues over the past couple of years, from leukemia and Alzheimer's disease to kidney problems and a serious MRSA infection that had hospitalized the singer.
In one of those odd coincidences that life brings us, James' death follows by a few days that of Johnny Otis, the great R&B singer, musician, and producer that first discovered the young Jamesetta Hawkins. It was Otis who changed the teenager's name to Etta James and, backed by the Peaches (also James' nickname), recorded James' first hit, "The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry)" for Modern Records. During the mid-to-late 1950s, James would tour as part of the Johnny Otis Band and perform on the same stage as R&B legends like Otis Redding, Little Richard, and Johnny "Guitar" Watson.
James left Modern in 1960 to sign with Chess Records, the company with which she is most firmly identified and where she stayed until 1978. With Chess, James chalked up a number of classic R&B hits, including the eternal "At Last," "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "Tell Mama," influencing a generation of singers coming up behind her, including talents like Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Shemekia Copeland, and others. After Chess folded, James continued to tour and record until her illness sidelined her in 2009, overcoming addiction, alcoholism, and romantic and legal problems to continue making classic music.
James' death comes at a time when her music is receiving renewed attention. Pop star Beyonce sang James' "At Last" at President Obama's inauguration ball, a performance that James reprised herself on the Dancing With The Stars TV show, and a character based on her life was at the center of the 2008 film Cadillac Records. James' greatest hits collection Icon has been on the blues charts for much of the past year, and her final studio album, The Dreamer, has been selling well since its November release. Recorded by James before illness caused her to retire, and produced by her sons, The Dreamer represents Etta James' swansong and a fine end to a legendary career.
A six time Grammy winner and an inductee into both the Blues and Rock & Roll Hall of Fames, we'll never hear another voice like Etta's again. Our thoughts go out to her family, friends, and many fans around the world.
Find out more: Etta James profile
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez, courtesy Getty Images
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