Soul singer Etta James dies after battle with leukaemia

ETTA JAMES, the soul singer whose passionate vocals anchored many hits and made the yearning ballad At Last an anthem for weddings, ads and even US President Barack Obama, died yesterday. She was 73.

James had been suffering from dementia and kidney problems, and was battling leukaemia. In December 2011, her physician announced that her leukaemia was terminal, and asked for prayers for the singer.

During her illness, her husband Artis Mills and her two sons fought bitterly over control of her $1 million (€770,000) estate.