Blues legend Etta James hospitalized

Etta James, known as a blues legend is being treated in hospital in California after suffering from various ailments, including a blood infection.

Her son, Donto James, declared: “She’s been in a pretty big battle”. The singer has been in hospital for a week.

Mr James said his mother, 72, became ill while in a detoxification clinic for treatment to an addiction to painkillers and other medicines.

The R&B star is probably best known for 1961 ballad, At Last. Beyonce sang the track at President Barack Obama’s inaugural ball last year.

James has several medical problems including the blood infection sepsis, believed to have started with a urinary tract infection and also suffering from speech difficulties, her son said.

After she will be discharged, the singer would be moved to a nursing home for follow-up care.

Johnny Otis was the one who discovered Etta and for that her career has spanned five decades.

In the 1960s, Etta developed a heroin addiction that was to last for more than a decade, and saw her spend time in a psychiatric hospital.

In 1994 she scored a top 10 hit in the UK when her version of I Just Wanna Make Love To You was featured in an advertisement for Coca-Cola.

In 2007 was another year with medical problems for the singer due to fact that she spent several weeks in hospital after suffering complications during abdominal surgery in Los Angeles.

Image source: saltlakemagazine.com; movies.popcrunch.com