Etta James is very ill

[malaise]

Blues icon Etta James, who was under treatment for addiction to painkillers and other medications, is in hospital.

Her son Donto James has revealed his mother has been in hospital for a week, being treated for a blood infection. She is fighting the superbug known as MRSA — a bacterial infection resistant to many antibiotics — as well as other ailments.

James also revealed on CNN Friday night that his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's more than a year ago.

"Right now she is very confused," Donto James said on CNN, adding that she was very combative, too.

The four-time Grammy winner, best known for her 1961 song At Last, became ill while in a detoxification clinic, says her son.

James says he believes the hospital in Los Angeles will be discharging his mother "very soon." He also indicated the 72-year-old singer will not be going home but rather to a nursing home.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2010/01/30/james-hospital.html#ixzz0e9BfFa6E

--------------
Etta is of course best known for the classic At Last which Obama used at the inauguration balls.
http://www.squidoo.com/etta-james

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVI254QGSQ4

[Solly Mack]

1. I hate that

Hoping for the best

[MadMaddie]

2. I really am starting to listen to more Etta James

and man she is amazing.....I hope she pulls through she is a gem.

[Divine Discontent]

3. alzheizers is such a thief... God bless the family in this hard time.

[malaise]

5. Isn't that the truth

My favorite cousin's husband had it for two years before he died in 2007 - I've never seen anyone deteriorate so fast in every sense of the word. It was painful for everyone.

[Divine Discontent]

6. my dad... roughly a year, but a fall did him in officially. I hope they get the breakthrough on it

that we all keep hoping for... no one who's a witness to seeing someone with that wants another person to suffer it.

[malaise]

10. It's one of the worst diseases of all

Sorry about your dad

[bdamomma]

30. its a sucky disease my mom died from it.

Etta contributed alot.

[madmax]

4. Very sad

Wonderful voice. There is a movie about her early years,'Cadillac Records'. Enjoyable.

Get better Etta.

[Bennyboy]

7. My friend has that infection.....

lost a few toes. Been in the hospital for weeks now....

[tilsammans]

8. No one is like the great Etta.

No one.

Comfort and peace to you and your family, Ms. James. :grouphug:

[wisteria]

9. I cam sorry to hear this news. I love Etta James. I am praying for her to recover. n/t

[mascarax]

11. If you do not know Etta James, introduce yourself to her music!

Truly one of the greats. My all-time favorite, with Aretha a close second.

I was very sad to read this news yesterday.

[lib2DaBone]

12. God Bless Etta and God's Speed.. she is one of the greatest...

She.. and Bille Holiday and Elvis and Patsy Cline... all performers that blazed the trail to where we are today.

She wrote the book that Madonna and Beyonce read from... Etta did it all... from Heroin addiction to hit music to divorce to stardom and back down again.

If you have never listened to her... do yourself a favor.. take two big shots of Jack or El Don, put on a set of headphones and listen to how she works her way thru a song.

"I'd rather Go Blind".. just two chords... A and Bm... and she nails it. This was back in the days before amplifiers and digital processors and multi-track... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YApNirMC9gM


You will also like her rendition of "Stormy Weather"... a classic... in A-flat... one of the best...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgdJjvWIlJg

[Hekate]

20. Gorgeous music, just gorgeous. Whatever remains of her life, and after, Peace to Etta.

Thanks for the links, lib2DaBone.

Hekate

[lob1]

13. Back in the early days of Rhythm and Blues, Etta came out with a song

called "Roll With Me, Henry" or "The Wallflower", which Pat Boone covered (I think this was his first hit), only he changed the name to "Dance With Me, Henry". Thank you, Etta. Fuck you Pat Boone.

[Lex]

14. +1

[lib2DaBone]

19. forget it.. dupe

[Old and In the Way]

15. Best wishes for Etta.

She was a presence when I saw her in Boston ( a loooong time ago at the Orpheum Theater).

[WorseBeforeBetter]

16. I still remember my reaction to hearing "At Last" for the first time...

eons ago. Not too many artists have had that sort of effect on me. And seeing her live? Wow.

Get well, Ms. James.

[niyad]

17. very sad news. prayers for her and her family.

[Elwood P Dowd]

18. A DU member's father did the arrangements for 'At Last'.

I've posted a few times about that song since I'm an old fart who remembers when it first came out. This was long before Obama was even elected. Wish I could remember her name.

[malaise]

26. Fascinating

Thanks for that.

[Elwood P Dowd]

28. From 2007.

Her name was Jazzgirl.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x546178

[Shell Beau]

21. I hate to hear that. I loved her music.

This explains her comments toward Beyonce for singing At Last. What a shame. Alzheimer's has to be one of the most devastating diseases on the planet. :(

[nolabear]

22. Etta's music has been part of my life forever. I am so sorry to hear about her illness.

[donheld]

23. Good vibes to Etta!

[Vidar]

24. I wish her well.

[EFerrari]

25. So far this decade is sucking bigtime.

:(

[Jeanette in FL]

27. I was so sorry to read this

Etta James is a national treasure. I just read a CNN article and my heart and prayers go out to her son. My MIL died from Alzheimer's and it is a traumatic journey for everyone involved.

Now it(the alzheimer's) explains her comments about Beyonce singing "At Last". At that time I just couldn't understand her hatred and anger towards Beyonce and the performance.

I wish the family peace and hopefully they can keep her comfortable.

[LWolf]

29. I'm sorry to hear that.

:(