Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Etta James(1938-2012)

  • Composer
  • Music Department
  • Actress
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Etta James at an event for Cadillac Records (2008)
Etta James is an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.

Etta James's powerful, deep, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was ranked number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
BornJanuary 25, 1938
DiedJanuary 20, 2012(73)
BornJanuary 25, 1938
DiedJanuary 20, 2012(73)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 6 wins & 14 nominations total

Photos26

View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
+ 21
View Poster

Known for

Barry Gibb, Peter Frampton, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, and The Bee Gees in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
4.3
  • Our Guests at Heartland
  • 1978
Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future
8.5
  • Soundtrack
  • 1985
Will Smith, Jared Leto, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Adam Beach, Viola Davis, Jay Hernandez, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne, and Karen Fukuhara in Suicide Squad (2016)
Suicide Squad
5.9
  • Soundtrack
  • 2016
Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck in Reindeer Games (2000)
Reindeer Games
5.8
  • Soundtrack
  • 2000

Credits

IMDbPro

Composer



  • Chelsea Asante and Catherine Paz-Ramirez in Just Those Bad Habits (2024)
    Just Those Bad Habits
    Music Video
    • Composer
    • 2024
  • Flo Rida: Good Feeling (2011)
    Flo Rida: Good Feeling
    6.7
    Music Video
    • Composer
    • 2011
  • Avicii: Levels (2011)
    Avicii: Levels
    8.0
    Music Video
    • Composer
    • 2011
  • Etta James: Live in Concert Tour (2005)
    Etta James: Live in Concert Tour
    Video
    • Composer
    • 2005

Music Department



  • Southside: June (2019)
    Southside: June
    Short
    • soundtrack
    • 2019
  • Flo Rida: Good Feeling (2011)
    Flo Rida: Good Feeling
    6.7
    Music Video
    • written by: Contains elements of "Something's Got a Hold on Me"
    • 2011
  • Avicii: Levels (2011)
    Avicii: Levels
    8.0
    Music Video
    • written by: Contains Sample of "Something's Got a Hold on Me"
    • 2011
  • Jennifer Grey, Josh Charles, Tom Hulce, and Blair Underwood in Murder in Mississippi (1990)
    Murder in Mississippi
    7.0
    TV Movie
    • special vocals
    • 1990

Actress



  • Def Jef in Def Jef Feat. Etta James: Droppin' Rhymes on Drums (1989)
    Def Jef Feat. Etta James: Droppin' Rhymes on Drums
    Music Video
    • Etta James (singing voice)
    • 1989
  • Tap (1989)
    Tap
    6.6
    • Blues Singer (uncredited)
    • 1989
  • Barry Gibb, Peter Frampton, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, and The Bee Gees in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
    Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
    4.3
    • Our Guests at Heartland
    • 1978

Personal details

  • Official sites
    • Apple Music
    • Deezer
  • Height
    • 5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
  • Born
    • January 25, 1938
    • Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Died
    • January 20, 2012
    • Riverside, California, USA(complications from leukemia)
  • Spouse
    • Artis Mills1969 - January 20, 2012 (her death, 2 children)
  • Other works
    Album: "Matriarch of the Blues".
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Biographical Movie
    • 1 Print Biography
    • 1 Portrayal
    • 5 Articles
    • 1 Pictorial

Did you know

  • Trivia
    She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 18, 2003.
  • Quotes
    I figured I could do "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" because I believe it's the truth.
  • Trademark
    Powerful earthy voice
  • Nicknames
    • Miss Peaches
    • The Matriarch of R&B

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages
Get the IMDb app
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb app
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb app
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.