American R&B/soul contralto vocalist (born January 25, 1938, Los Angeles, California, USA - died January 20, 2012, Riverside, California, USA), the most prominent female vocalist of the Chess label. Etta James was discovered as a teenager by Johnny Otis, with her first hit in 1955. She recorded for Modern Records (2) and Kent Records for the remainder of the 1950's. She signed with Chess in 1960, recording with them until 1976. From 1965 to the mid 1970's she battled heroin addiction.