Rhythm and Blues, Soul Singer. She was known for her 1965 hit record "Rescue Me." Fontella was the daughter of gospel singer Martha Bass of the Clara Ward Singers. Born and raised in St. Louis, she quickly showed herself to have impressive musical talent. She played the piano in church at 5 and was singing by the following year. She graduated from Soldan High School in 1958 and later that year was singing professionally at the famed Showboat Blues Club. By 1965, she recorded 2 soul singles with Bobby McClure, "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing" and "You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)." Later that same year, while signed to Chess Records, she recorded "Rescue Me," which became a huge hit. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop single charts and #1 on the Billboard R&B charts, earning Chess Records their first gold record in 10 years. The song is forever linked to Fontella and has become an iconic song heard in numerous motion pictures, TV shows, video games and commercials. She had several hits over the next 2 years, "Recovery," I Can't Rest," "I Surrender," "You'll Never Ever Know," "Safe and Sound," "Lucky in Love," and "Sweet Lovin' Daddy," but she never again struck gold as she did with "Rescue Me." Her younger brother David Peaston was also a successful soul singer. Bass retired from music to concentrate on raising her four children with her husband Lester Bowie. She was honored on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2000, but in 2005 she suffered a series of strokes and finally passed away at a hospice in St. Louis in 2012. She was known as the "Queen of St. Louis Soul." A large musical celebration and memorial service took place on Friday, January 4, 2013 at Shalom Church in Florissant, Missouri.