Etta James, the legendary soul singer whose raw, passionate vocals anchored many hits and made the yearning ballad At Last an enduring anthem for weddings, commercials and even President Barack Obama, died yesterday. She was 73.
Ms James had been suffering from dementia and kidney problems, and was battling leukaemia. In December 2011, her physician announced that her leukaemia was terminal, and asked for prayers for the singer.
During her illness, her husband Artis Mills and her two sons fought bitterly over control of her one million dollar estate.
Ms James died at Riverside Community Hospital, Los Angeles, with her husband and sons at her side, her manager, Lupe De Leon, said.
“It’s a tremendous loss for her fans around the world,” Mr De Leon added. “She’ll be missed. A great American singer. Her music defied category.”
Boldness was as much a trademark of Ms James, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as her platinum-dyed mane.
She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive Roll With Me, Henry, which had to be changed to The Wallflower to get airplay. Over the years, she would notch many more, carving a niche for herself with her husky, soulful voice and her sassy attitude, which permeated her songs.
Obama turns R&B singer
US President Barack Obama took a brief and unexpected turn as an R&B singer at a New York fundraiser, crooning a line from an Al Green classic and then joking that he had not been ushered off stage.
It happened at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem when Mr Obama stepped up to the podium and veered from prepared remarks to thank Green for warming up the crowd. Then he suddenly launched into Let’s Stay Together, warbling “I, I’m so in love with you” - complete with vibrato.
He stopped to laughter and applause, and remarked that his staff did not believe he would do it. He noted that the Sandman had not come out - a reference to Sandman Sims, the tap dancer who chased unpopular acts off stage at the Apollo for decades.
Talent for stellar line-up
Simon Cowell has revealed plans to offer the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent the chance to perform in space.
The media mogul said he is in talks with Sir Richard Branson, who is sponsoring the show, about blasting the next champion into orbit with the tycoon’s space venture, Virgin Galactic.
Mr Cowell said the experience would not be compulsory for the winner, but Sir Richard would cough up the “tens of millions” of pounds the dream prize is worth.
Nearly 10,000 snakes seized
Forestry officials in Burma have seized nearly 10,000 snakes in 400 crates which were to be smuggled to China.
Fifty cobras were among the 9,176 snakes seized near Mandalay. Wildlife smuggling is common in Asia, where exotic species are used for food and traditional medicine. An unknown number of people were arrested and could face a five-year jail sentence. The 7,000 non-poisonous snakes were released into a wildlife reserve, while the vipers and cobras were sent to the state pharmaceutical company for their venom.