According to CNN legendary singer Etta James has passed away due to complications with leukemia.
Etta James whose prominent voice lit up such hits as “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” and the wedding favorite “At Last,” has died, according to her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon. She was 73.
She died from complications from leukemia with her husband, Artis Mills, and her sons by her side, De Leon said.
She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010, and also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. James died at a hospital in Riverside, California. James would have turned 74 Wednesday.
“This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world,” De Leon said. “She was a true original who could sing it all — her music defied category.
“I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always.”
The Black Gospel Blog, reports that Etta James has been connected with the church most of her life. James received her early musical training from famed choir director J. Earle Hines, and also participated as a young girl in the Echoes of Eden choir of the St. Paul Baptist Church of Los Angeles.
