Veteran singer blasts Beyonce

R&B legend Etta James slammed Beyonce Knowles for singing “her song” at Barack Obama’s inauguration.

During a show at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, the 71-year-old singer told the audience “I can’t stand Beyonce”, adding: “She gonna get her ass whopped”.

The tirade follows Beyonce’s rendition of 'At Last' at an inauguration ball following the swearing-in of the US president. The song had originally been a hit for James in 1961.

In a recording from the Seattle show circulating today, the veteran singer hits out at Beyonce for daring to sing “her song”.

She is heard telling the audience: “You know your president, the one with the big ears? Wait a minute, he ain’t my president.”

The singer continues: “I tell you that woman he had singing for him, singing my song, she gonna get her ass whopped.

“I can’t stand Beyonce.”

James added that the younger singer had “no business” singing her song for the president.

Beyonce recently played Etta James in the film 'Cadillac Records' and has said that the elder songstress had praised her performance.