SINGER
Etta James
1938 - 2012

Etta James
Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songwriter. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's R&B clubs, collectively known as the Chitlin' Circuit, in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. She sang in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll and soul and gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower" (1955), "At Last" (1960), "Something's Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "Tell Mama" and "I'd Rather Go Blind" (both 1967). She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch (1988). Read more on Wikipedia
Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Etta James is the 221st most popular singer (down from 215th in 2019), the 1,534th most popular biography from United States (down from 1,361st in 2019) and the 83rd most popular American Singer.
Etta James is best known for her soulful, gritty vocals. She has been a major influence on many other singers, such as Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Etta James by language
Among SINGERS
Among singers, Etta James ranks 221 out of 4,381. Before her are John Lee Hooker, Britney Spears, Udo Jürgens, John Denver, Marian Gold, and Al Jarreau. After her are Claude François, Dr. Dre, Corry Brokken, Charles Trenet, Billie Eilish, and Mario Del Monaco.
Most Popular Singers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsJohn Lee Hooker
1917 - 2001
HPI: 67.83
Rank: 215
Britney Spears
1981 - Present
HPI: 67.81
Rank: 216
Udo Jürgens
1934 - 2014
HPI: 67.79
Rank: 217
John Denver
1943 - 1997
HPI: 67.75
Rank: 218
Marian Gold
1954 - Present
HPI: 67.70
Rank: 219
Al Jarreau
1940 - 2017
HPI: 67.69
Rank: 220
Etta James
1938 - 2012
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 221
Claude François
1939 - 1978
HPI: 67.62
Rank: 222
Dr. Dre
1965 - Present
HPI: 67.60
Rank: 223
Corry Brokken
1932 - 2016
HPI: 67.59
Rank: 224
Charles Trenet
1913 - 2001
HPI: 67.58
Rank: 225
Billie Eilish
2001 - Present
HPI: 67.43
Rank: 226
Mario Del Monaco
1915 - 1982
HPI: 67.34
Rank: 227
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1938, Etta James ranks 74. Before her are Brian Dennehy, Oleg Gordievsky, Takehiko Kawanishi, Terry Wogan, Georg Baselitz, and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. After her are Angelo Amato, Ayaz Mutallibov, Ryōji Noyori, Marcello Gandini, Murtala Mohammed, and Tatsuya Shiji. Among people deceased in 2012, Etta James ranks 60. Before her are Renato Dulbecco, Erland Josephson, Carlo Maria Martini, E. Donnall Thomas, Lucio Dalla, and Chadli Bendjedid. After her are Carl Johan Bernadotte, Carl Woese, George Armitage Miller, Tony Martin, Gustav Leonhardt, and Dave Brubeck.
Others Born in 1938
Go to all RankingsBrian Dennehy
ACTOR
1938 - 2020
HPI: 67.89
Rank: 68
Oleg Gordievsky
POLITICIAN
1938 - 2025
HPI: 67.88
Rank: 69
Takehiko Kawanishi
SOCCER PLAYER
1938 - Present
HPI: 67.75
Rank: 70
Terry Wogan
PRESENTER
1938 - 2016
HPI: 67.71
Rank: 71
Georg Baselitz
PAINTER
1938 - Present
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 72
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
POLITICIAN
1938 - Present
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 73
Etta James
SINGER
1938 - 2012
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 74
Angelo Amato
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1938 - 2024
HPI: 67.57
Rank: 75
Ayaz Mutallibov
POLITICIAN
1938 - 2022
HPI: 67.56
Rank: 76
Ryōji Noyori
CHEMIST
1938 - Present
HPI: 67.55
Rank: 77
Marcello Gandini
ENGINEER
1938 - 2024
HPI: 67.52
Rank: 78
Murtala Mohammed
POLITICIAN
1938 - 1976
HPI: 67.49
Rank: 79
Tatsuya Shiji
SOCCER PLAYER
1938 - Present
HPI: 67.33
Rank: 80
Others Deceased in 2012
Go to all RankingsRenato Dulbecco
BIOLOGIST
1914 - 2012
HPI: 68.22
Rank: 54
Erland Josephson
ACTOR
1923 - 2012
HPI: 68.19
Rank: 55
Carlo Maria Martini
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1927 - 2012
HPI: 68.15
Rank: 56
E. Donnall Thomas
PHYSICIAN
1920 - 2012
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 57
Lucio Dalla
MUSICIAN
1943 - 2012
HPI: 68.09
Rank: 58
Chadli Bendjedid
POLITICIAN
1929 - 2012
HPI: 68.00
Rank: 59
Etta James
SINGER
1938 - 2012
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 60
Carl Johan Bernadotte
POLITICIAN
1916 - 2012
HPI: 67.55
Rank: 61
Carl Woese
BIOLOGIST
1928 - 2012
HPI: 67.42
Rank: 62
George Armitage Miller
PSYCHOLOGIST
1920 - 2012
HPI: 67.25
Rank: 63
Tony Martin
ACTOR
1913 - 2012
HPI: 67.24
Rank: 64
Gustav Leonhardt
COMPOSER
1928 - 2012
HPI: 67.23
Rank: 65
Dave Brubeck
MUSICIAN
1920 - 2012
HPI: 67.20
Rank: 66
In United States
Among people born in United States, Etta James ranks 1,534 out of 20,380. Before her are Eric Roberts (1956), Thomas Pynchon (1937), Gary Sinise (1955), Matthew Perry (1969), Phil Spector (1939), and Kelly LeBrock (1960). After her are George Stigler (1911), Jackie Robinson (1919), Barbara Bel Geddes (1922), Solomon R. Guggenheim (1861), Cesar Chavez (1927), and Edith Wharton (1862).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsEric Roberts
ACTOR
1956 - Present
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 1,528
Thomas Pynchon
WRITER
1937 - Present
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,529
Gary Sinise
ACTOR
1955 - Present
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,530
Matthew Perry
ACTOR
1969 - 2023
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,531
Phil Spector
PRODUCER
1939 - 2021
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,532
Kelly LeBrock
ACTOR
1960 - Present
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,533
Etta James
SINGER
1938 - 2012
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 1,534
George Stigler
ECONOMIST
1911 - 1991
HPI: 67.65
Rank: 1,535
Jackie Robinson
BASEBALL PLAYER
1919 - 1972
HPI: 67.64
Rank: 1,536
Barbara Bel Geddes
ACTOR
1922 - 2005
HPI: 67.64
Rank: 1,537
Solomon R. Guggenheim
BUSINESSPERSON
1861 - 1949
HPI: 67.64
Rank: 1,538
Cesar Chavez
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1927 - 1993
HPI: 67.63
Rank: 1,539
Edith Wharton
WRITER
1862 - 1937
HPI: 67.63
Rank: 1,540
Among SINGERS In United States
Among singers born in United States, Etta James ranks 83. Before her are Tom Morello (1964), George Strait (1952), John Lee Hooker (1917), Britney Spears (1981), John Denver (1943), and Al Jarreau (1940). After her are Dr. Dre (1965), Billie Eilish (2001), Lil Wayne (1982), Chris Cornell (1964), Bessie Smith (1894), and Gloria Gaynor (1947).
Tom Morello
1964 - Present
HPI: 68.03
Rank: 77
George Strait
1952 - Present
HPI: 67.90
Rank: 78
John Lee Hooker
1917 - 2001
HPI: 67.83
Rank: 79
Britney Spears
1981 - Present
HPI: 67.81
Rank: 80
John Denver
1943 - 1997
HPI: 67.75
Rank: 81
Al Jarreau
1940 - 2017
HPI: 67.69
Rank: 82
Etta James
1938 - 2012
HPI: 67.66
Rank: 83
Dr. Dre
1965 - Present
HPI: 67.60
Rank: 84
Billie Eilish
2001 - Present
HPI: 67.43
Rank: 85
Lil Wayne
1982 - Present
HPI: 67.29
Rank: 86
Chris Cornell
1964 - 2017
HPI: 67.26
Rank: 87
Bessie Smith
1894 - 1937
HPI: 67.23
Rank: 88
Gloria Gaynor
1947 - Present
HPI: 67.19
Rank: 89