Etta James Estate Settled in Court
A deal has been reached on the $1 million estate of terminally ill blues singer, Etta James, who is dying from chronic leukemia.
The Grammy-award winning James is 73-years old and also suffers from dementia and kidney problems. She has two adult sons, Donto and Sametto, who challenged their stepfather Artis Mills in court for the estate of their ailing mother. Mills married James in 1969 and was named the conservator of James’ estate.
Donto James asked a Riverside County judge to appoint him the temporary conservator, but on Monday, the judge ruled to keep Mills as the conservator, according to the Riverside Press Enterprise.
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Mills wanted $500,000 for the expenses and care of the singer. The sons wanted that number decreased to $100,000, while the judge set it at $350,000. According to reports, Mills is with James 24 hours a day, while her sons visit regularly.
Two weeks ago, Dr. Elaine James confirmed that the leukemia James suffered with was inoperable. She asked fans and friends to pray for the terminally ill songstress.
Etta James was hospitalized early in 2010 for dementia and leukemia and admitted again later in the year for the same problems. Lupe De Leon, James’ manager, told Entertainment Weekly that Etta James had a terminal illness.
“She’s in the final stages of leukemia. She has also been diagnosed with dementia and Hepatitis C,” Leon told the news website. “She’s in a home right now and mostly sleeps. She is under the care of a live-in doctor from Riverside Community Hospital and two others who have placed her on oxygen.”
Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, Calif., she won four Grammys and seventeen Blues Music Awards. In 1993, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2003. Her song, “At Last,” was performed by Beyonce for Barack and Michelle Obama’s first dance on inauguration night in January of 2009.
The song was originally written in 1941 by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. It became a hit for Glen Miller and his orchestra and was covered by Nat King Cole. It was adopted by James in 1960.
