Etta James has died at the age of 73. The singer passed away in a hospital in Riverside, California after being diagnosed with leukaemia in 2010, according to her longtime friend and manager Lupe DeLeon. James was with her husband Artis Mills and her sons when she died from complications with leukaemia, and would have turned 74 on Wednesday (January 25).

Etta james

"This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world," DeLeon said in statement. "She was a true original who could sing it all - her music defied category. I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always." The star was released from hospital on January 5, having spent the Christmas period under doctors' care. At the time, her son Donto revealed that she was "still fighting for her life".

Etaa james at young

James first appeared on the music scene in 1955, but didn't release her debut album - titled At Last! - until 1961. Throughout her career, she opened concerts for The Rolling Stones, won six Grammy Awards and was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame back in 1993. However, James also faced a number of ups and downs throughout her lifetime. She famously overcame heroin addiction, but encountered health issues in her latter years, including dementia and hepatitis C. In recent years, Etta James's hits have experienced a renewed popularity following Beyoncé's portrayal of her in 2008 film Cadillac Records. Beyoncé then went on to sing James's famous hit 'At Last' during one of President Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural balls. At the time, James joked: "I can't stand Beyoncé. She had no business up there singing my song that I've been singing forever."