Singer. She was an award-winning American singer, who had a fifty-year career. Her signature song, "At Last," reach #2 on the R&B chart in 1961. Born Jamesetta Hawkins, the child of a single 14-year-old mother, she was known professionally as Etta James. She had foster parents until she was age twelve, when she was returned to her mother. With the encouragement of her mother, her musical career started with gospel music. In 1954, she moved from San Francisco back to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower," which she had co-wrote at age fourteen. After "The Wallflower," her successful career soared with more recordings. Her 1973 album "Etta James" earned a Grammy nomination, in part for its creative combination of rock and funk sounds. Traveling throughout Europe, she was the opening act for the English rock band the Rolling Stones in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was the recipient of six Grammy awards and in 2003 the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and 2008, with her two songs "At Last" and "The Wall Flower." In addition, she was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and in 2010 awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Other awards include: Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame both in 2001, "Billboard" magazine's R&B Founders Award in 2006, and the NAACP Image Award in 1990. Impacting her career, she had serious health problems including battling heroin and cocaine addictions, hepatis C, and morbidity obesity with gastric bypass surgery. She died from complications of leukemia, leaving a million-dollar estate. From 1969 until her death, she was married to Artis Mills, who became her tour manager. She had two sons. The 2008 film "Cadillac Records" was a portrait of her life. Her autobiography, "Rage to Survive," which was cowritten with David Ritz, was published in 1995.
Singer. She was an award-winning American singer, who had a fifty-year career. Her signature song, "At Last," reach #2 on the R&B chart in 1961. Born Jamesetta Hawkins, the child of a single 14-year-old mother, she was known professionally as Etta James. She had foster parents until she was age twelve, when she was returned to her mother. With the encouragement of her mother, her musical career started with gospel music. In 1954, she moved from San Francisco back to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower," which she had co-wrote at age fourteen. After "The Wallflower," her successful career soared with more recordings. Her 1973 album "Etta James" earned a Grammy nomination, in part for its creative combination of rock and funk sounds. Traveling throughout Europe, she was the opening act for the English rock band the Rolling Stones in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was the recipient of six Grammy awards and in 2003 the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and 2008, with her two songs "At Last" and "The Wall Flower." In addition, she was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and in 2010 awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Other awards include: Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame both in 2001, "Billboard" magazine's R&B Founders Award in 2006, and the NAACP Image Award in 1990. Impacting her career, she had serious health problems including battling heroin and cocaine addictions, hepatis C, and morbidity obesity with gastric bypass surgery. She died from complications of leukemia, leaving a million-dollar estate. From 1969 until her death, she was married to Artis Mills, who became her tour manager. She had two sons. The 2008 film "Cadillac Records" was a portrait of her life. Her autobiography, "Rage to Survive," which was cowritten with David Ritz, was published in 1995.
Bio by: Linda Davis
Inscription
YOUR LEGACY IS AND WILL BE FOREVER AN INSPIRATION
"At Last"
Cherished mother, grandmother and devoted wife
Family Members
Advertisement
See more James memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
