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James in 2003, Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Jamesetta Hawkins
Date of Birth: January 25, 1938
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Death: January 20, 2012
Place of Death: Riverside, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: * biological father – likely Swiss * mother – African-American
Etta James was an American singer.
Her mother, Dorothy Leatherwood Hawkins, was African-American, from Omaha, Nebraska. Her mother was in her mid teens when she was born. According to Etta, her biological father was Rudolf Wanderone, “Minnesota Fats,” a professional billiards player, who was the son of Swiss parents, Rudolf/Rudolph Walter Wanderone and Rosa/Rose Bergin/Burgin.
Etta was raised in Watts, South Central Los Angeles. She was married to Artis Mills, and had two children.
Sources: Genealogies of Etta James – https://www.geni.com http://www.wargs.com https://www.findagrave.com