Donto James is the son of the late iconic singer Jamesetta Hawkins popularly known across the globe as Etta James. He is a recording engineer, music producer, drummer, and 2-times Grammy Award winner. He earned the Grammy Awards as a producer and drummer on two of his mother’s albums, Let’s Roll (2003) and Blues To The Bone (2004).
His mother’s singing career spanned nearly 6 decades and cuts across various musical genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Unfortunately, he lost her on 20th January 2012 at the age of 73 after suffering from a couple of health issues, including dementia, kidney problems, and leukemia.
7 Intriguing Facts About Donto James You Probably Didn’t Know
1. Etta James’ Son Is Currently 57 Years Old
Donto James was born in 1968 in the United States of America to Etta James and his unknown father. He is currently 57 years old. When he was born, his mother’s music was beginning to gain ground and more audience. She released her 7th studio album titled Tell Mama (1968).
2. Who Is His Biological Father?
The identity of Donto’s biological father is under wraps. His mother even while alive never mentioned the name or revealed the identity of his father. His connection with a fatherly figure is his Step-father, Artis Mills whom his mother married in March 1969 when he was about a year old.
So, after the marriage, Mills raised him and his brother Sametto James who as the story goes has a different father. This means his mother never shared any children with Mills through the 43 years she spent with him before her passing.
3. Music Runs In His Family
Donto James’ mother blessed the world with her unique voice and talent through music. It is obvious she inherited the gift from her mother (Donto’s grandmother), Dorothy Leatherwood Hawkins.
As bizarre as it sounds, his mother said she didn’t know his grandmother was a singer. This is because she didn’t know much about her nor had a smooth relationship with her when she was a child, not until both were much older. Moreover, it was around the time Etta James was recording her 25th Studio album, Blue Gardenia, in 2000. The album which was released in 2001 had his grandmother flying solo on the title track Blue Gardenia. A year later, his grandmother passed on 19th May 2002 at 77.
Even though the Donto and his brother Sametto don’t sing directly, they are involved in their mother’s music, which is more of a family legacy. He played drums while his brother played the bass guitar, and both have graced the stage with their mother in some of her performances and tours.
4. His Mother Struggled With Drug Addition
Before he was born, his mother became addicted to drugs, especially heroin. Consequently, his mother got into trouble with the law for this bad behavior, including using bounced checks and forged prescriptions.
Between 1966 and 1973, Donto James’ mother was arrested for heroin possession a couple of times, and confined to rehabilitation centers for drug treatment. In fact, his step-father Artis Mills spent 10 years in prison after accepting responsibility after they were arrested for heroin possession.
Additionally, his mother could have spent time in prison after she was arrested for heroin possession but she was sent to drug treatment instead. After spending about a year and a half at the Tarzana Psychiatric hospital, his mother said her life changed.
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5. Etta James’ Son Had A Legal Battle With His Step-Father Over His Mother’s Estate
Donto James and his step-father had a legal battle over his mother’s estate while she was on her sick bed. His step-father asked the court to make him the conservator of Etta James’ estate, which would grant him access to her bank accounts. He claimed it will allow him to take care of her medical bills which he said ran to $30 thousand monthly.
This was unacceptable to Donto, who further demanded that the court appoint an independent administrator to manger his mother’s fortunes than his step-father. Moreover, it was reported that his mother granted him the power of attorney in 2008, which comes into effect when she is incapacitated.
On the other hand, his step-father claimed the singer was in a demented state when she granted the power of attorney to her oldest son. In agreement with Donto’s claims, his brother Sametto James said their mother was of sound mind when she made the decision.
Subsequently, the case was settled when an agreement on how to manage the singer’s $1 million was reached. So the agreement keeps his step-father as conservator and $350 thousand to take care of the singer’s medical bills and other expenses.
6. His Mother Died In His Arms
The drummer claimed his mother died in his arms and that of his brother. Etta James son said he was happy that she died in his arm and quickly reiterated he was grateful for being able to her how much he loved her and what she accomplished as a singer and an amazing mother.
His mother as a result of complications from leukemia on 20th January 2012 at 73. Additionally, he said his mother was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008. Three years later, she was diagnosed with leukemia, which further deteriorated her health condition.
Her remains were burial eight days after her passing at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
7. He Is A 2-Time Grammy Award Winner
Etta James’ son is a 2-time Gramm Award recipient. He earned two awards as a percussionist and producer on two of his mother’s albums.
The first was from his mother’s 2003 album Let’s Roll (2003), in which he co-produced, played drums and percussion, and was also on the vocals. The album won the best contemporary blues album.
His second grammy award came from his mother’s 27th studio album Blues To The Bone (2004). He produced the album alongside his mother, brother, and Josh Sklair. The album was awarded the best traditional blues album.
Donto James is one of two sons born to one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, Etta James. He is a recording engineer, music producer, drummer, and percussionist. Two of the albums, Lets Roll (2003) and Blues To The Bone (2004) he produced for his mother received the best contemporary blues album and the best traditional blues album awards at the 46th and 47th editions of the Grammy Awards. Even though his mother passed in 2012 at 73 after battling leukemia, her legacy lives through her music like the legendary Mexican singer Jose Alfredo Jimenez.
