Singer Etta James who was known for her powerhouse voice, as well as her hit song “At Last” passed away earlier today at Riverside Community Hospital (Riverside, CA) due to complications with Leukemia. Her husband and two sons were by her side when she passed. She was 73 years old. Her longtime manager Lupe De Leon announced the sad news and reportedly she also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. He stated the following about her passing:

“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.”

Beyoncé who played Etta James in the 2008 film “Cadillac Records” posted the following about James’ death on her website:

“This is a huge loss. Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time. I am so fortunate to have met such a queen. Her musical contributions will last a lifetime,” Beyonce wrote. “Playing Etta James taught me so much about myself, and singing her music inspired me to be a stronger artist. When she effortlessly opened her mouth, you could hear her pain and triumph. Her deeply emotional way of delivering a song told her story with no filter. She was fearless, and had guts. She will be missed.”

May she rest in peace.

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This entry was posted on Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 7:14 pm and is filed under Dearly Departed, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.