Hun anses for at have bygget bro mellem rhythm and blues og rock and roll og har vundet seks [[Grammy Awards|Grammy-priser]] og 17 [[Blues Music Awards]]. Hun blev optaget i [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] i 1993, [[Blues Hall of Fame]] i 2001 og [[Grammy Hall of Fame]] i både 1999 and 2008.<ref name="Downbeat">''Down Beat Magazine'' July 27, 2007 [http://www.downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=news&subsect=news_detail&nid=814 Etta James Hospitalized, Tour Suspended] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113212847/http://www.downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=news&subsect=news_detail&nid=814 |date=13. januar 2009 }}</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' placerede hende som nr. 28 på deres liste over "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" og som nr. 62 på listen over "Greatest Artists of All Time".<ref name="RS">{{cite news | title=100 Greatest Singers of All Time | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/etta-james-19691231 | publisher=Rolling Stone | accessdate=2008-11-11 | archive-date=16. januar 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116050642/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/etta-james-19691231 | url-status=ok }}</ref><ref name="RS2">{{cite news | title=100 Greatest Singers of All Time | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/etta-james-19691231 | publisher=Rolling Stone | accessdate=2008-11-11 | archive-date=28. maj 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528111339/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/etta-james-19691231 | url-status=ok }}</ref>
Kunst Musik