Artis Mills Was Etta James' Husband For 43 Years, Get To Know Him

Publish date: 2024-05-21

Artis Mills is the widower and the husband of Etta James, the late American singer. The couple met in the late 1960s and got married around 1969. Artis Mills and his late wife were a well-known power couple in American pop culture before her death.

Etta James was a well-known American singer and public figure as well, who was known as the ‘Queen of Blues’ and received a lot of accolades and awards for her sterling career while she was still alive. Sadly, Etta passed on a few years ago, and her lovely husband and kids, as well as a rich catalog of soulful music, remain as a reminder of her never-ending legacy. In the meantime, meet Artis Mills, the late Etta James’ husband.

Summary of Artis Mills’ Biography

Artis Mills Has Not Revealed Much About His Background

Artis Mills was born in the United States of America and that’s the much we know about his background. There is a severe dearth of information on Etta James’ widower. His age has not been publicly mentioned, nor has his place of birth been revealed. His parents’ certainly raised and took proper care of him as a child but so far, there has been nothing mentioned about either of them in the media. He seems to be of American nationality and mixed ethnicity.

Moving on, Artis Mills has not disclosed any further information about his family members, including his siblings. Artis also hasn’t revealed anything about his education or academic credentials. Likewise, we don’t have any reliable information about his early childhood. Such information will be updated as soon as we receive it.

On a completely different note, however, when it comes to his late wife, Jamesetta Hawkins, there exists a much better summary of information on her early life. Jamesetta was born in 1938 and celebrates her birthday on January 25th every year.

Better recognized as Etta James, Jamesetta was born in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. According to a source, her mother’s name was Dorothy Hawkins. Aside from that, not much else is known about the family of the woman to whom Artis was married to for decades.

Artis Mills and Etta James Met in the Sixties

Artis Mills rose to prominence following his marriage to the late Etta James who was a celebrity vocalist and public figure. She had impressively bagged the tag of a gospel prodigy by the age of five and gained fame by singing in her church choir and on the radio. When she was 12 years old, Etta moved to San Francisco, joined a trio, and soon began working for bandleader, Johnny Otis.

Artis Mills

To date, there is no official source of information documenting when she met her future husband, but many believe that Artis had to have been working in the music industry in some capacity when they met. They kicked off a relationship and courted for a couple of years before deciding to settle as man and wife. All of this took place in the 60s when Etta James was just beginning her career.

Artis Mills was Married to Etta James for 43 Years

Artis Mills’ first and only wife was Etta James. Jamesetta Hawkins, professionally known as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in a variety of genres including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, Rock and Roll, and soul.

The lovely couple got wedded in 1969, in a private church ceremony, but theirs was a difficult marriage. Throughout their marriage, Etta was said to have struggled with both alcoholism and Alzheimer’s disease.

Still, they remained husband and wife for over four decades and had two sons together whose names are given as Donto and Sametto James. Both are grown men today and are reportedly actors. Sadly, Etta passed away on January 20, 2012, just five days before her 74th birthday, leaving her husband devastated.

Etta James Died from Multiple Health Related Issues in 2012

Months before her death, Etta’s health had continued to deteriorate steadily. After 2010, she never went onstage again until her death. The At Last singer was diagnosed with dementia and was undergoing leukemia treatment.

According to The Press-Enterprise in Riverside County, California, her health condition was only revealed in court documents pertaining to a civil case in Riverside County Superior Court. In those documents, Artis Mills was seeking control of more than $1 million of Etta’s money to help foot her health bills. According to Beverly Hills physician, Elaine James, the singer who was 72 at the time, could no longer sign her name and required assistance with feeding, dressing, and hygiene.

The entertainer, who was terminally ill with chronic leukemia at the time, also had dementia and kidney failure and needed 24-hour medical care. So, in 2011, Artis Mills was granted conservatorship of her million-dollar estate, by the ruling of the Riverside County judge ruled.

Artis Mills

Artis Mills and his two sons had been in and out of court since 2011 fighting for who would have control over their wife/mother’s finances and administer the funds needed to care for her. The Superior Court eventually ruled that Mills would retain control of his wife’s finances but would only receive $350,000 of the $500,000 he had requested for expenses.

Etta James’ son told the media that he and his brother wanted their mother to be admitted to a proper hospital where she could be checked out. He said the place his mother was admitted was less than adequate to cater to her health.

And so he ‘begged’ the doctors to heed his request but surprisingly, their request was denied. This meant that Etta James continued to be treated at her Riverside home by her private doctor and nurses until she eventually passed on.

What Does Etta James’ Husband Do For a Living?

Artis Mills was mostly recognized as the husband of the iconic singer, Etta James and there was no job associated with him (at least to the public). To this day, there is no job to his name as he is still addressed as Etta James’ widower in several media sources. Be that as it may, there is no information available about his career or financial situation.

His ex-wife, on the other hand, was a renowned singer and amassed considerable wealth through her singing career while she was alive. During her nearly decade-long singing career, she had numerous hits and was considered wealthy. At the time of her death, the late Etta James was worth $1 million.

Key Facts

  • Artis Mills was the husband of the legendary American singer, Etta James, marrying her in 1969. Their relationship, although fraught with struggles with drug addiction, lasted over three decades.
  • Mills was a crucial figure in the career of Etta James. Despite living under her shadow due to her immense popularity, he worked as her tour manager, ensuring the smooth operation of her performances.
  • His personal life was marred by a brush with the law due to drug charges. Mills served a 10-year prison sentence, having taken responsibility for drugs during an arrest in place of his wife, Etta James.
  • Mills became a stepfather to Etta’s two children, Donto James and Sametto James, from her previous relationships. Both children have made names for themselves in the performance arts, with Donto as a drummer and Sametto as a bassist.
  • He was married to Etta until her death in 2012. Etta was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008 and Leukemia in 2011, succumbing to her battle with cancer at the age of 73.
  • Mills and his stepsons engaged in legal battles before Etta James’ death. He petitioned the court to gain access to her bank accounts to settle her escalating medical bills, a move that was met with resistance from his stepsons.
  • Despite Mills’ efforts, the court appointed an independent administrator to oversee Etta James’ estate.
  • Mills shared in the success of his late wife, Etta James, who had a net worth of $16 million at the time of her death. Judge Thomas H. Cahraman put Mills in charge of his wife’s finances, capping them at $350,000 for her treatment.
  • Etta James was an award-winning artist, winning many accolades in the latter part of her life, including six Grammy awards and other recognitions from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, NAACP Image Award, National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Blues Foundation.
  • Mills was a part of a significant controversy when Etta James expressed her discontent with Beyoncé’s rendition of her signature song, “At Last”, at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
  • Details of Mills’ early life remain elusive. His rise to public prominence only came about after his association with Etta James.
  • Despite his personal troubles and legal battles, Mills remains known for his undying support and contributions to Etta James’s music career. His net worth, though not publicly disclosed, is believed to have been significantly influenced by his late wife’s substantial estate.

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