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Etta James

Acting

Born January 25, 1938 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Died January 20, 2012

Biography

Jamesetta Hawkins, known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songwriter. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's R&B clubs, collectively known in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s as the Chitlin' Circuit. She sang in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll and soul and gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower" (1955), "At Last" (1960), "Something's Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "Tell Mama" and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch (1988).

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA

Awards & recognition

  • Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award · 2003
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame · 1993
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Filmography5 titles