1938 – 2012

Etta James

American singer (1938–2012)

jazz singerrecording artistjazz musiciansinger-songwritermusician

Born

1938-01-25, Los Angeles

Died

2012-01-20

Birthplace state

California

Biography

Etta James was born in Los Angeles in 1938 and began her singing career in 1954, performing in Nashville's R&B clubs during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. She sang across gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll and soul, achieving hits including "The Wallflower" (1955), "At Last" (1960), "Something's Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "Tell Mama" and "I'd Rather Go Blind". Her life included heroin addiction, severe physical abuse and incarceration, though she returned to recording in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch (1988). She died in 2012.

Occupation

Etta James is recorded as a jazz singer, a recording artist, a jazz musician, a singer-songwriter, a musician and a singer, born in California (1938–2012).

Connections to California

Etta James was born in Los Angeles, California in 1938. Explore other notable figures from California, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from California›Californiahistory ›Historic sites in California›

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Other historical figures born in California, ranked by historical prominence.

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Frequently asked about Etta James

Who was Etta James?

Etta James was American singer (1938–2012), born in California (1938 – 2012).

When and where was Etta James born?

Etta James was born on 1938-01-25 in Los Angeles.

When did Etta James die?

Etta died on 2012-01-20.

What was Etta James known for?

Etta James is recorded as a jazz singer, a recording artist, a jazz musician, a singer-songwriter, a musician and a singer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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