Etta James Dies at 73

Etta James, most famous for her hit”At Last,”died Friday morning in Riverside, California after a lengthy battle with leukemia.

Etta’s versatile voice and sultry soul made her music hard to categorize, but she is most often classified as a rhythm and blues signer for performances like “Good Rockin’ Daddy.” Her incomparable ballad skills landed her in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame.

Etta was a winner of four Grammy Awards, after recording a series of hits in the 1950’s and 60’s including “A Sunday Kind of Love,” and “Something’s Got a Hold on Me.” Etta also collected a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

Etta’s music had an opportunity to reach a younger generation in 2008 when Beyonce Knowlesplayed Ms. James in Cadillac Records, a movie depicting the rise of Chess Records.

 

Her manager and friend, Lupe De Leon, said it best: “It’s a tremendous loss for her fans around the world. She will be missed. A great American singer. Her music defied category.”