Music Blog

Etta James, the iconic singer perhaps best known for her definitive rendition of the song "At Last" died this morning in Riverside, CA following a battle with leukemia. She would have been 74 next week.

Identified most often as an R&B singer, James' style and influence nevertheless spanned genres-- blues, soul, jazz, gospel and rock & roll included. She was inducted into both the Rock & Roll and Blues Halls of Fame and is among those credited with bridging the gap between soul and rock & roll. Her final release, last year's The Dreamer, was well-received and was anything but paint-by-numbers R&B (it includes a verison of Guns n' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle). In addition to "At Last" her catalog includes a number of lasting recordings, among them "Dance With Me Henry," "Tell Mama," "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "Something's Got a Hold on Me."