Etta James, the first African American singer to cross over to the pop charts, influenced the likes of Adele, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse with timeless 1960s hit songs such as “At Last” and “Tell Mama”. Her songs have been remade by Rod Stewart, Adele, Beyonce and Christina Aguilera, to name a few.

Although she succumbed to leukemia earlier today at a hospital in her native Southern California, the six-time Grammy Award winner’s voice is heard daily on radio stations throughout the U.S. A sample of James’ 1963 single “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” is featured heavily on techno rapper Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling”, which has peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts.

James, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was 73 and is survived by a husband and two sons.

International superstar Beyonce portrayed James in 2008 movie, Cadillac Records, and sang James’ “At Last” while president Barack Obama and his wife danced at 2009 inauguration.

Here are some of James’ greatest hit songs

By Teneshia LaFaye

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