Fontella Bass, best remembered for the hit song Rescue Me, has died on 26 December 2012 of complications from a heart attack at age 72. She had been in poor health for much of the past years. Her song Rescue Me reached the top of the US R&B chart in 1965.

Gospel singer Martha Bass, one of the Clara Ward Singers, was the mother of Fontella Bass. Fontella began singing in a church's choir at the age of six. Like many of her generation, she switched to soul and R&B in the 60s, signing to Chess Records.

Fontella Bass first success came with a duet with Bobby McClure entitled "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing". She was the co-writer of "Rescue Me". It took years of legal battles for Fontella to receive full royalty rights to the song. Fontella Bass was married to jazz musician Lester Bowie.