Singer Etta James Gravely Ill

[GeeTee(HPK)]

http://www.eurweb.com/?p=77300[/EMAIL]

Let's keep her in our prayers

[midnightman]

I will definitely keep Ms. Jamesetta Hawkins [[aka Etta James) in my prayers. A true musical pioneer.

Husband seeks control of ailing Etta James money

[[AP) – 2 hours ago

RIVERSIDE, Calif. [[AP) — Ailing R&B singer Etta James is gravely ill and her husband of 41 years is seeking a California court order to control more than $1 million of her money.

The 72-year-old singer is best known for the 1961 hit "At Last." Court documents show she lives in the Woodcrest area of Riverside County, has been diagnosed with dementia and is undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Beverly Hills Dr. Elaine James, who isn't related, says in court documents that the singer cannot sign her name and she needs help with feeding, dressing and hygiene.

The Riverside Press-Enterprise says a court hearing Friday will consider a bid by husband Artis Mills to control her finances.

She earlier gave power of attorney to sons Donto James and Sametto James, and Donto's wife Christy, in February 2008. Mills is challenging the power of attorney.

Information from: The Press-Enterprise, http://www.pe.com

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[randy_russi]

Sad that the husband is challenging her sons power of attorney over their mother.

[midnightman]

^ I doubt he'll get it either but yeah that's real sad. They were going to divorce in 2008 but it was taken out of court.

[randy_russi]

And hasn't she been sick for a couple years now?

[midnightman]

^ Yep. Her son said she started to get sick around the time she "attacked" Beyonce.

[jobeterob]

Lots of these singers are sure not doing well lately; too bad.

It's not great the dissension in this family; that's too bad as well. It's so tough when someone gets alzheimers or dementia. They really needed things dealt with well in advance. They can be so easily swayed and influenced as they weaken and their mind starts to stray.

[arrr&bee]

You know gang,as we sit and pray for Etta to get well it sickens me and i don't know who's right or wrong BUT this infighting over these estates has got to stop it's just greed and be it the kids,spouse or the damn butler,if it's just the money they're trying to get they should burn in hell...STOP THE GREED!!!

[midnightman]

^ I agree.

Man it's been tough for our soul legends. First we have to deal with Aretha's struggles, then the shock over Teena's death, the passing of Steve Mancha, then hearing about Gladys Horton, now Etta... it's just sad.

[marv2]

I pray that Etta gets better. God Bless her.

[mark speck]

I second the above emotion...Etta is a national treasure!!

Best,

Mark

[soulster]

The dementia probably explains her bizarre behavior during her somewhat recent shows. That, and the fact that she drinks too much.

[randy_russi]

Did anyone read her autobiography that was out several years ago, Rage to Survive? Etta had a long history of drug
abuse. She was able to keep her house because one of the Chess brothers held on to the deed. When he died,
I believe his son delivered the deed to her. She said Leonard Chess was always after her to get rid of her drug
habit. Anyone the book was a good read, but what she went through.

[brother_love]

Soulster, where do you get your facts from? If you are going to make a statement on here may sure you know what you are taking about. A lot of harm can be done by staying things we call facts when we really don't know what we are talking about. All that I'm saying is to be careful what you put out there you just may have what you call a fact wrong. I personally would not be saying this if I did not know what I was talking about.

[soulster]

Soulster, where do you get your facts from? If you are going to make a statement on here may sure you know what you are taking about. A lot of harm can be done by staying things we call facts when we really don't know what we are talking about. All that I'm saying is to be careful what you put out there you just may have what you call a fact wrong. I personally would not be saying this if I did not know what I was talking about.

From the statement above, she has dementia. From footage aired a couple of years ago, after Obama's election, or around that time, she was clearly inebriated. There were news stories.

There is no question she had addiction issues. If you have some facts to the contrary, please share them with us to clear the record.

I'll bet you were one of those who believed all the gloom and doom stories about Aretha Franklin, too.

[pshark]

Sad, wish this wasn't true.
Etta James' most nastified funk jam

[heikki]

Hi Randy!

"A Rage to Survive" is one of the best music
books out there.

Best regards
Heikki

[jillfoster]

It's sad when children fight with a husband over control of an estate. It was obvious, since the man was married to Etta at the time the power of attorney was granted, that SHE wanted her children to have the power of attorney, not him. The article said that she was married to him for 41 years, though..... am I right in assuming that her children are older than that and this man is not their father? Rob... since you're a lawyer, how do you see the husband's chances at this court hearing?

[Penny]

This is all so sad.

[reese]

It's sad when children fight with a husband over control of an estate. It was obvious, since the man was married to Etta at the time the power of attorney was granted, that SHE wanted her children to have the power of attorney, not him. The article said that she was married to him for 41 years, though..... am I right in assuming that her children are older than that and this man is not their father? Rob... since you're a lawyer, how do you see the husband's chances at this court hearing?

Her oldest son was by Billy Foster. She fell in love with her husband Artis Mills while on tour in Alaska. They got married, and he helped Etta raise her son. Later tired of the rat race that drugs entail, her husband took the fall for some drugs in their posession, and went to jail. In the meantime, Etta went to rehab and fell in love with her sponsor, by whom she had her second son. When Artis was released from jail, he and Etta resumed their relationship.

[MissLish]

Will Miss Ross attend the services?

[jobeterob]

From Miss Ross's past behaviour, I'd guess she will attend if Ms. James was a close friend and if the services are private; if it is a spectacle, she will not attend.

If Etta James gave a Power of Attorney in 2008..........it raises some questions. You have to be mentally competent to grant a Power of Attorney but you only need to know that the document you are signing allows the donee to deal with your finances; you are only to run the finances of the donor for their benefit, not your own.

So...........I wonder how competent Etta was in 2008; that wasn't very long ago and it appears the facts are she is a long time addict with alcohol problems. I would also like to see what the sons have done on her behalf. I would be interested in seeing her will and when it was done and what it says.

But setting aside a Power of Attorney will be costly and isn't easy to do. Prima facie, it stands and appoints certain people. It would also be interesting to know if they can act SEPARATELY or if they must act TOGETHER. So I think the husband has a tough case to make unless the sons have acted inappropriately. If they've taken money and used it on there own, they'll get removed or maybe the husband will get appointed with them or a third party might get appointed.

I think the bottom line is that you'd need some facts from Doctors and people involved in 2008 and now and you'd need to hear the status of things now.

One fortunate matter is that Etta James appears to have some money which is different than so many of these artists.

[daddyacey]

Ms. James has been through a lot in her lifetime. Considering that , it's a blessing for her that she has survived this far let alone been able to perform up until the time ,say 2-3 years ago ,when her health finally took it's toll. It still amazes me how people in general tend to dwell on the dark attributes of any personality, who has contributed and achieved more positive actions in their lifetime ,than negative actions [[according to others perspectives and attitudes ),rather their positive accomplishments ,in the times that these persons are in what may wind up being the darkest of times they will go through ,in their lifetime. Everybody has some shix with them, everybody, and all shix stinks ,so if you think you don't have shit with you and it don't stink ,you are sadly mistaken. We will all have the time when we have to face our darkest hours ,and believe me we will all have our turn. I admire Etta James for her work and the joy and entertainment and history that it represents. That admiration includes what ever events or actions that she made in her life and the results of those actions ,because like all of us ,your life is yours to live as you wish. "Two tears in a bucket ,fuck it , it's my cry" ,as the saying goes. So in this dark time of the life of Jamesetta Hawkins ,I wish that she survives in comfort ,or passes in peace without undue sufferage. And that she can claim without a doubt that ,"I Jamesetta [[Etta James) Hawkins was here, and you will know me, for whatever I have done".

pshark... "Etta James' most nastified funk jam" ," All The Way Down" ,
By all means a nastified funk classic jam. Considering the time period when it came out ,it sounds like it could have been a Norman Whitfield production if you didn't know better. The intro ,strings ,horns all have that N.W. flavor. An aural asswhoopin ,no doubt.

"Will Miss Ross attend the services?"
Don't make no difference in the greatness of Etta James.

[splanky]

Very well said, daddyacey. Very very well said...

[marv2]

Daddy you always get it right man!

[marv2]

No matter what happens, I'm going to still love Etta James. This woman is what our music is all about .....