Etta James released from hospital

Blues singer Etta James, who is terminally ill and battling leukemia, was resting at her Riverside home Friday, a day after being released from a Southern California hospital, KTLA-TV reported.

The 73-year-old had been hospitalized since late December after experiencing difficulty breathing. James is battling the final stages of terminal leukemia and also suffers from kidney disease and dementia.

She was on a respirator for nearly two weeks until she was strong enough to breathe on her own, her manager Lupe De Leon told the Associated Press.

James was in stable condition but reportedly communicating only with nods and simple words.

In recent years, James' health has been on the decline. She has been hospitalized multiples times.

James is best known for her 1961 hit "At Last." She has won three Grammy awards and is a prominent figure in R&B music. 

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-- Angel Jennings

Photo: Etta James in 2008. Credit: Matt Sayles / Associated Press