Grammy award-winning blues singer Etta James has been hospitalized in Southern California for sepsis resulting from a urinary tract infection. The 72-year-old musician has been at a Riverside hospital for a week. Her son, Donota James, reports that just prior to the hospitalization, she was in a treatment center for other health problems, including a painkiller addiction.

Los Angeles-based celebrity news columnist Ministry Of Gossip  reports that the legendary singer “has struggled in the past with drugs, including an addition to heroin that led to a stint in rehab in 1974. She also had gastric bypass surgery in 2003 and lost 200 pounds.”

According to online medical source MedLinePlus, sepsis is a life-threatening illness during which a person’s bloodstream is overwhelmed with bacteria. Older people and children with compromised immune systems are at greater risk for this condition.

The four-time Grammy Award winner just celebrated her 72nd birthday on January 25th. She is an inductee at the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame, and is most well-known for her 1960 song “At Last.” In 2009, after the pop singer Beyonce performed James’ legendary song at President Obama’s inaugural ball, James made headlines by harshly criticizing Beyonce and the president. At the time her son told the media that James’ behavior is possibly related to Alzheimer’s disease.