Etta James • Love Songs

 

Jimmy Smith • Dot Com Blues

 

 

Etta James • Chess Box

 

Biography
by Mark Deming
Few female R&B stars enjoyed the kind of consistent acclaim Etta James received throughout a career that spanned six decades; the celebrated producer Jerry Wexler once called her "the greatest of all modern blues singers," and she recorded a number of enduring hits, including "At Last," "Tell Mama," "I'd Rather Go Blind," and "All I Could Do Was Cry." At the same time, despite possessing one of the most powerful voices in music, James only belatedly gained the attention of the mainstream audience, appearing rarely on the pop charts despite scoring 30 R&B hits, and she lived a rough-and-tumble life that could have inspired a dozen soap operas, battling drug addiction and bad relationships while outrunning a variety of health and legal problems.

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California on January 25, 1938; her mother was just 14 years old at the time, and she never knew her father, though she would later say she had reason to believe he was the well-known pool hustler Minnesota Fats. James was raised by friends and relatives instead of her mother through most of her childhood, and it was while she was living with her grandparents that she began regularly attending a Baptist church. James' voice made her a natural for the choir, and despite her young age she became a soloist with the group, and appeared with them on local radio broadcasts. At the age of 12, after the death of her foster mother, James found herself living with her mother in San Francisco, and with little adult supervision, she began to slide into juvenile delinquency. But James' love of music was also growing stronger, and with a pair of friends she formed a singing group called the Creolettes. The girls attracted the attention of famed bandleader Johnny Otis, and when he heard their song "Roll with Me Henry" -- a racy answer song to Hank Ballard's infamous "Work with Me Annie" -- he arranged for them to sign with Modern Records, and the Creolettes cut the tune under the name the Peaches (the new handle coming from Etta's longtime nickname). "Roll with Me Henry," renamed "The Wallflower," became a hit in 1955, though Georgia Gibbs would score a bigger success with her cover version, much to Etta's dismay. After charting with a second R&B hit, "Good Rockin' Daddy," the Peaches broke up and James stepped out on her own.

James' solo career was a slow starter, and she spent several years cutting low-selling singles for Modern and touring small clubs until 1960, when Leonard Chess signed her to a new record deal. James would record for Chess Records and its subsidiary labels Argo and Checker into the late '70s and, working with producers Ralph Bass and Harvey Fuqua, she embraced a style that fused the passion of R&B with the polish of jazz, and scored a number of hits for the label, including "All I Could Do Was Cry," "My Dearest Darling," and "Trust in Me." While James was enjoying a career resurgence, her personal life was not faring as well; she began experimenting with drugs as a teenager, and by the time she was 21 she was a heroin addict, and as the '60s wore on she found it increasingly difficult to balance her habit with her career, especially as she clashed with her producers at Chess, fought to be paid her royalties, and dealt with a number of abusive romantic relationships. James' career went into a slump in the mid-'60s, but in 1967 she began recording with producer Rick Hall at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and, adopting a tougher, grittier style, she bounced back onto the R&B charts with the tunes "Tell Mama" and "I'd Rather Go Blind."

In the early '70s, James had fallen off the charts again, her addiction was raging, and she turned to petty crime to support her habit. She entered rehab on a court order in 1973, the same year she recorded a rock-oriented album, Only a Fool, with producer Gabriel Mekler. Through most of the '70s, a sober James got by touring small clubs and playing occasional blues festivals, and she recorded for Chess with limited success, despite the high quality of her work. In 1978, longtime fans the Rolling Stones paid homage to James by inviting her to open some shows for them on tour, and she signed with Warner Bros., cutting the album Deep in the Night with producer Jerry Wexler. While the album didn't sell well, it received enthusiastic reviews and reminded serious blues and R&B fans that James was still a force to be reckoned with. By her own account, James fell back into drug addiction after becoming involved with a man with a habit, and she went back to playing club dates when and where she could until she kicked again thanks to a stay at the Betty Ford Center in 1988. That same year, James signed with Island Records and cut a powerful comeback album, Seven Year Itch, produced by Barry Beckett of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The album sold respectably and James was determined to keep her career on track, playing frequent live shows and recording regularly, issuing Stickin' to My Guns in 1990 and The Right Time in 1992.

In 1994, a year after she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, James signed to the Private Music label, and recorded Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday, a tribute to the great vocalist she had long cited as a key influence; the album earned Etta her first Grammy Award. The relationship with Private Music proved simpatico, and between 1995 and 2003 James cut eight albums for the label, while also maintaining a busy touring schedule. In 2003, James published an autobiography, Rage to Survive: The Etta James Story, and in 2008 she was played onscreen by modern R&B diva Beyoncé Knowles in Cadillac Records, a film loosely based on the history of Chess Records. Knowles recorded a faithful cover of "At Last" for the film's soundtrack, and later performed the song at Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural ball; several days later, James made headlines when during a concert she said "I can't stand Beyoncé, she had no business up there singing my song that I've been singing forever." (Later the same week, James told The New York Times that the statement was meant to be a joke -- "I didn't really mean anything...even as a little child, I've always had that comedian kind of attitude" -- but she was saddened that she hadn't been invited to perform the song.)

In 2010, James was hospitalized with MRSA-related infections, and it was revealed that she had received treatment for dependence on painkillers and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which her son claimed was the likely cause of her outbursts regarding Knowles. James released The Dreamer, for Verve Forecast in 2011. She claimed it was her final album of new material. Etta James was diagnosed with terminal leukemia later that year, and died on January 20, 2012 in Riverside, California at the age of 73.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/etta-james-mn0000806542/biography

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Biografía
por Mark Deming
Pocas estrellas femeninas del R&B gozaron del tipo de aclamación constante que Etta James recibió a lo largo de una carrera que abarcó seis décadas; el célebre productor Jerry Wexler la llamó en una ocasión "la más grande de todas las cantantes de blues modernas", y grabó una serie de éxitos perdurables, entre ellos "At Last", "Tell Mama", "I'd Rather Go Blind" y "All I Could Do Was Cry". Al mismo tiempo, a pesar de poseer una de las voces más potentes de la música, James tardó en ganarse la atención del gran público, apareciendo raramente en las listas de éxitos de pop a pesar de haber conseguido 30 éxitos de R&B, y vivió una vida agitada que podría haber inspirado una docena de telenovelas, luchando contra la drogadicción y las malas relaciones mientras sorteaba diversos problemas legales y de salud.

Etta James nació como Jamesetta Hawkins en Los Ángeles, California, el 25 de enero de 1938; su madre sólo tenía 14 años por aquel entonces y ella nunca conoció a su padre, aunque más tarde diría que tenía motivos para creer que era el conocido timador de billar Minnesota Fats. James fue criada por amigos y parientes en lugar de por su madre durante la mayor parte de su infancia, y fue mientras vivía con sus abuelos cuando empezó a asistir regularmente a una iglesia baptista. La voz de James la hizo natural para el coro y, a pesar de su corta edad, se convirtió en solista del grupo y apareció con ellos en emisiones de radio locales. A los 12 años, tras la muerte de su madre de acogida, James se encontró viviendo con su madre en San Francisco y, con la escasa supervisión de un adulto, empezó a caer en la delincuencia juvenil. Pero el amor de James por la música también iba en aumento, y con un par de amigas formó un grupo de canto llamado las Creolettes. Las chicas llamaron la atención del famoso director de orquesta Johnny Otis, y cuando éste escuchó su canción "Roll with Me Henry" -una respuesta picante a la infame "Work with Me Annie" de Hank Ballard-, consiguió que firmaran con Modern Records, y las Creolettes grabaron el tema bajo el nombre de The Peaches (el nuevo nombre procedía del apodo que Etta había recibido siempre). "Roll with Me Henry", rebautizada "The Wallflower", se convirtió en un éxito en 1955, aunque Georgia Gibbs lograría un éxito mayor con su versión, para consternación de Etta. Tras un segundo éxito de R&B, "Good Rockin' Daddy", las Peaches se separaron y James se independizó.

La carrera en solitario de James fue lenta y pasó varios años grabando sencillos de escaso éxito para Modern y haciendo giras por pequeños clubes hasta 1960, cuando Leonard Chess firmó con ella un nuevo contrato discográfico. James grabaría para Chess Records y sus sellos subsidiarios Argo y Checker hasta finales de los años 70 y, trabajando con los productores Ralph Bass y Harvey Fuqua, adoptó un estilo que fusionaba la pasión del R&B con la elegancia del jazz, y consiguió varios éxitos para el sello, como "All I Could Do Was Cry", "My Dearest Darling" y "Trust in Me". Mientras James disfrutaba del resurgimiento de su carrera, su vida personal no iba tan bien. Empezó a experimentar con las drogas cuando era adolescente y a los 21 años ya era heroinómana. A medida que avanzaban los años 60, le resultaba cada vez más difícil compaginar su adicción con su carrera, sobre todo porque se enfrentaba a sus productores en Chess, luchaba para que le pagaran los derechos de autor y se enfrentaba a una serie de relaciones sentimentales abusivas. La carrera de James cayó en picado a mediados de los 60, pero en 1967 empezó a grabar con el productor Rick Hall en los estudios FAME de Muscle Shoals (Alabama) y, adoptando un estilo más duro y descarnado, regresó a las listas de R&B con los temas "Tell Mama" y "I'd Rather Go Blind".

A principios de los 70, James había vuelto a caer de las listas de éxitos, su adicción hacía estragos y recurrió a la pequeña delincuencia para mantener su hábito. Ingresó en rehabilitación por orden judicial en 1973, el mismo año en que grabó un álbum orientado al rock, Only a Fool, con el productor Gabriel Mekler. Durante la mayor parte de los años 70, una sobria James se las apañó haciendo giras por pequeños clubes y tocando ocasionalmente en festivales de blues, y grabó para Chess con un éxito limitado, a pesar de la gran calidad de su trabajo. En 1978, los Rolling Stones, sus fans de toda la vida, rindieron homenaje a James invitándola a abrir algunos conciertos de su gira, y James firmó un contrato con Warner Bros. y grabó el álbum Deep in the Night con el productor Jerry Wexler. Aunque el álbum no se vendió bien, recibió críticas entusiastas y recordó a los fans serios del blues y el R&B que James seguía siendo una fuerza a tener en cuenta. Según cuenta ella misma, James volvió a caer en la adicción a las drogas tras involucrarse con un hombre adicto, y volvió a tocar en clubes cuando y donde podía hasta que volvió a recaer gracias a una estancia en el centro Betty Ford en 1988. Ese mismo año, James firmó con Island Records y grabó un potente álbum de regreso, Seven Year Itch, producido por Barry Beckett, de Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. El álbum tuvo unas ventas respetables y James estaba decidida a mantener su carrera, actuando con frecuencia en directo y grabando con regularidad, publicando Stickin' to My Guns en 1990 y The Right Time en 1992.

En 1994, un año después de su ingreso en el Salón de la Fama del Rock and Roll, James firmó con el sello Private Music y grabó Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday, un homenaje a la gran vocalista a la que había citado durante mucho tiempo como una influencia clave; el álbum le valió a Etta su primer premio Grammy. La relación con Private Music resultó simpática, y entre 1995 y 2003 James grabó ocho álbumes para el sello, al tiempo que mantenía una apretada agenda de giras. En 2003, James publicó una autobiografía, Rage to Survive: The Etta James Story, y en 2008 fue interpretada en la pantalla por la moderna diva del R&B Beyoncé Knowles en Cadillac Records, una película vagamente basada en la historia de Chess Records. Knowles grabó una versión fiel de "At Last" para la banda sonora de la película, y más tarde interpretó la canción en el baile de investidura de Barack Obama en 2009; varios días después, James saltó a los titulares cuando durante un concierto dijo: "No soporto a Beyoncé, no tenía nada que hacer ahí arriba cantando mi canción que llevo cantando desde siempre". (Más tarde, esa misma semana, James declaró a The New York Times que la declaración pretendía ser una broma - "en realidad no quería decir nada... incluso de pequeña, siempre he tenido esa actitud de comediante"-, pero que le entristecía que no la hubieran invitado a interpretar la canción).

En 2010, James fue hospitalizada por infecciones relacionadas con el SARM, y se reveló que había recibido tratamiento por su dependencia de los analgésicos y que se le había diagnosticado la enfermedad de Alzheimer, que según su hijo era la causa probable de sus arrebatos con respecto a Knowles. James lanzó The Dreamer, para Verve Forecast en 2011. Afirmó que era su último álbum de material nuevo. Etta James fue diagnosticada con leucemia terminal a finales de ese año, y murió el 20 de enero de 2012 en Riverside, California, a la edad de 73 años.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/etta-james-mn0000806542/biography

Etta James • Life, Love & the Blues

 

VA • You're My Thrill

 

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Kenny Burrel, Aretha Franklin, Oscar Peterson, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, Duke Ellington...

 

 

 

VA • Five Great Women In R&B

 

VA • 20 Greatest Female Songs

 

VA • The Story of Cadet Records

 

 

 

Etta James,Dorothy Ashby,Harold Land,Muddy Waters,Ramsey Lewis,Shades Of Brown,The New Rotary Connection,Terry Callier.

 

 

 

www.vinylmeplease.com/story-of-cadet-records ...

VA • Rhythm & Blues Espresso Time

 

 

Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Etta James, Booker T. & The MG's, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, Otis Redding, Fats Domino …

VA • Heavy Sugar - The Pure Essence of New Orleans R&B

 

 

www.facebook.com/afantasticvoyage ...

VA • The Best Of Blues

 

Johnny Winter, Charlie Musselwhite, B.B. King, Duke Robillard, Hadda Brooks,Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Solomon Burke, Lowell Fulson, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker,

  

Etta James • Etta James Sings Funk

 

Etta James began her long career as a singer early, singing doo-wop as a teenager in the 1950s. She has enjoyed equal success crooning blues ballads, belting out rhythm and blues and rock and roll, or interpreting jazz. While the ease with which she can navigate these various styles demonstrates her impressive skill, it has also served to confound the music industry as to how to categorize her. In the late 20th century and into the next, James has finally been widely acknowledged as one of the most talented singers of her era. James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938. Dorothy, her mother, was just fourteen years old when she gave birth to James, and she never overtly named the father. James's care was left largely to relatives and friends, including a middle-aged couple by the name of Rogers. James and her foster mother, Lula "Mama Lu" Rogers, became particularly close. By the age of five, James was living with her grandparents in Los Angeles. It was at this time, while singing solos with the St. Paul Baptist Church's Echoes of Eden choir under the direction of musical director James Earle Hines that she began to get attention for her powerful voice. Soon she began performing gospel on a local radio broadcast. James turned to music, and when she was fourteen she formed the Creolettes with two other girls. They tracked down Johnny Otis, a bandleader and promoter, when he was playing at the Fillmore. On the strength of the Creolettes' audition for him, Otis arranged for the girls to tour. Otis renamed the group the Peaches and reversed Jamesetta's name, creating the stage name that has endured to this day. The girls started off earning ten dollars per night for their work with Otis's revue. James first recorded with the Peaches in 1955 on the Modern Records label. The song was her own composition and was called "Roll with Me Henry," a coarse response to a song by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters called "Work with Me Annie." The song was rechristened a less-racy "The Wallflower" and became a top-ten hit on the rhythm and blues charts. In 1955 James had another hit on the Modern label, "Good Rockin' Daddy." It became apparent that her talent overshadowed that of her friends, and she separated from the Peaches. Over the ensuing few years James, who was also known as Miss Peaches, toured the country on bills with stars such as Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, zydeco accordionist Clifton Chenier, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Minnie Riperton, and Chuck Berry.

While on the road, she encountered a wide range of responses, from admiration to racism and intimidation, She found herself performing before large, eager crowds, even though her fame had dimmed somewhat since her 1955 hits. One of the highlights of this time was when James shared the stage with Billie Holiday and Count Basie as part of an National Broadcasting Company radio show in New York called Jazz Plus Blues Equals Soul. The performance occurred in the late 1950s, near the end of Holiday's life. As the 1950s ended, James was often on the road and broke. But her fortunes began to turn after she arrived in Chicago, where she drew the attention of Leonard Chess and signed on with his label, Chess Records. Chess was just starting to earn recognition with artists like Berry and Diddley. In the early 1960s, James began a prolific period and became one of R&B's most successful singers. With producer Jerry Wexler, she recorded jazz tunes and soul ballads and ran up a string of hits for Chess's subsidiary label, Argo, such as "At Last" - which peaked at number two on the R&B chart in 1961 - "My Dearest Darling," "Trust Me," and "All I Could Do Was Cry." In 1962 her "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was the most successful of her three hits that year, charting at number four. While Chess helped revitalize James's career, the company also exploited her, as it did many other artists. Royalties were withheld and the company was known to seize the publishing rights to artists' original material. She felt there was too much tinkering and direction. Despite favorable critical reviews for the recordings she produced, James felt on edge in the studio. By the time she was 21, James was addicted to heroin. Her addiction was so disruptive that she stopped recording almost completely between 1964 and 1966, but then pulled herself together enough to record “Call My Name,” an acclaimed blues album. She also recorded some duets with a childhood friend, Sugar Pie DeSanto, which resulted in the hit song "In the Basement." In 1967 James went to work for Alabama's Fame Studios, where she recorded a classic album that was well received; “Tell Mama” contains the standout ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind." Despite her hits, however, James was generally unknown outside the black population. Although life for James was out of control by the early 1970s, she was able to arrive at live performances and recording sessions when necessary. In 1974, James finally entered a drug rehabilitation program as a resident at Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital, just outside of Los Angeles, California. Struggling to pull her career together, James hopped from record label to record label. At Fantasy in 1986 she teamed with tenor sax legend Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and recorded two outstanding jazz albums, “Blues in the Night,” and “The Late Show.” She was also affiliated with the Island and Elektra labels. James then toured with the Rolling Stones and performed at blues and jazz festivals, with the result that white listeners finally began to buy her albums. She sang during the Olympic opening ceremony in 1984, and her debut hit "The Wallflower" became part of the soundtrack to the hugely popular movie Back to the Future. The singer even made some guest appearances on television programs. James went for seven years without a recording contract, and then in 1988 she released “Seven-Year Itch” with Island. The next year she received the W. C. Handy Award and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Pioneer of the Year Award, and in 1990 the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) honored her with two awards: an Image Award and an award for best blues artist for her album “Stickin' to My Guns.” James continued recording at a furious pace and by the 1990s was considered an R&B legend. Her vaulted status was confirmed with her 1991 induction into the Bay Area Blues Society Hall of Fame and her 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994 she began to work with producer John Snyder at Private Music and released the critically acclaimed “Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday,” winning a Grammy Award for best jazz vocal in 1995. By mid ‘90’s she entered one of her career's most prolific phases. “Mystery Lady” followed on the heels of both “Etta James Live from San Francisco” and her autobiography, which was followed by “Time after Time,” in 1995. James's star kept rising into the next century. In 2001 she was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame, and on April 18, 2003, James was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Later that same year she won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, then returned for another Grammy in February 2004 for her self-produced album “Let's Roll.” Her 2004 recording, “Blues to the Bone,” is a compilation of her favorite blues classics. James has also benefited from being able to turn her career into a family affair; she often works with her sons, who back her and produce her recordings. At nearly 70 years old, James—who had long related her love of music and continued to wow audiences with her raucous and enthusiastic concerts—showed no interest retiring any time soon. With a new slimmed-down look, a rejuvenated stage show and celebrating an incredible five decades as a recording artist, music legend Etta James showcases her enduring artistry on an amazing diversity of the eleven songs featured on her 2006 BMG album, “All The Way.” Etta James is currently on tour with B.B.King, and Al Green.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/etta-james/

 

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Etta James comenzó su larga carrera como cantante temprano, cantando doo-wop cuando era adolescente en la década de 1950. Ha disfrutado del mismo éxito cantando baladas de blues, cantando rhythm and blues y rock and roll, o interpretando jazz. Si bien la facilidad con la que puede navegar por estos diversos estilos demuestra su impresionante habilidad, también ha servido para confundir a la industria de la música sobre cómo clasificarla. A finales del siglo XX y principios del siguiente, James finalmente ha sido ampliamente reconocida como una de las cantantes más talentosas de su época. James nació Jamesetta Hawkins en Los Ángeles, California, el 25 de enero de 1938. Dorothy, su madre, tenía solo catorce años cuando dio a luz a James, y nunca nombró abiertamente al padre. El cuidado de James quedó en gran parte en manos de familiares y amigos, incluida una pareja de mediana edad llamada Rogers. James y su madre adoptiva, Lula "Mama Lu" Rogers, se hicieron particularmente cercanas. A la edad de cinco años, James vivía con sus abuelos en Los Ángeles. Fue en este momento, mientras cantaba solos con el St. El coro Echoes of Eden de Paul Baptist Church, bajo la dirección del director musical James Earle Hines, comenzó a llamar la atención por su poderosa voz. Pronto comenzó a interpretar gospel en una transmisión de radio local. James se dedicó a la música y cuando tenía catorce años formó The Creolettes con otras dos chicas. Localizaron a Johnny Otis, líder de una banda y promotor, cuando tocaba en el Fillmore. Gracias a la audición de las criollas para él, Otis hizo arreglos para que las chicas salieran de gira. Otis cambió el nombre del grupo a The Peaches e invirtió el nombre de Jamesetta, creando el nombre artístico que ha perdurado hasta el día de hoy. Las chicas comenzaron ganando diez dólares por noche por su trabajo con la revista de Otis. James grabó por primera vez con The Peaches en 1955 en el sello Modern Records. La canción era su propia composición y se llamaba "Roll with Me Henry", una respuesta burda a una canción de Hank Ballard y los Midnighters llamada " Work with Me Annie. La canción fue rebautizada como "The Wallflower" menos atrevida y se convirtió en un éxito entre los diez primeros en las listas de rhythm and blues .  En 1955 James tuvo otro éxito en el sello Modern, "Good Rockin' Daddy."Se hizo evidente que su talento eclipsaba al de sus amigos, y se separó de los Peaches. Durante los años siguientes, James, también conocida como Miss Peaches, recorrió el país en bills con estrellas como Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, el acordeonista de zydeco Clifton Chenier, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Minnie Riperton y Chuck Berry.

Mientras estaba de gira, se encontró con una amplia gama de respuestas, desde admiración hasta racismo e intimidación, se encontró actuando ante grandes multitudes ansiosas, a pesar de que su fama se había atenuado un poco desde sus éxitos de 1955. Uno de los momentos más destacados de esta época fue cuando James compartió escenario con Billie Holiday y Count Basie como parte de un programa de radio de National Broadcasting Company en Nueva York llamado Jazz Plus Blues Equals Soul. La actuación ocurrió a fines de la década de 1950, cerca del final de la vida de Holiday. A medida que terminaba la década de 1950, James a menudo viajaba y se arruinaba. Pero su suerte comenzó a cambiar después de llegar a Chicago, donde llamó la atención de Leonard Chess y firmó con su sello, Chess Records. El ajedrez apenas comenzaba a ganar reconocimiento con artistas como Berry y Diddley. A principios de la década de 1960, James inició un período prolífico y se convirtió en uno de los cantantes de R&B más exitosos. Con el productor Jerry Wexler, grabó melodías de jazz y baladas soul y publicó una serie de éxitos para el sello subsidiario de Chess, Argo , como "At Last", que alcanzó el puesto número dos en la lista de R&B en 1961, "My Dearest Darling", "Trust Me" y " All I Could Do Was Cry."En 1962, su" Something's Got a Hold on Me " fue el más exitoso de sus tres éxitos ese año, llegando al número cuatro. Si bien el ajedrez ayudó a revitalizar la carrera de James, la compañía también la explotó, como lo hizo con muchos otros artistas. Se retuvieron las regalías y se sabía que la compañía se apoderaba de los derechos de publicación del material original de los artistas. Ella sintió que había demasiados retoques y dirección. A pesar de las críticas favorables de las grabaciones que produjo, James se sintió nervioso en el estudio. Cuando tenía 21 años, James era adicta a la heroína. Su adicción fue tan disruptiva que dejó de grabar casi por completo entre 1964 y 1966, pero luego se recompuso lo suficiente como para grabar "Call My Name", un aclamado álbum de blues. También grabó algunos duetos con un amigo de la infancia, Sugar Pie DeSanto, que dieron como resultado la exitosa canción " In the Basement. En 1967, James se fue a trabajar a los Fame Studios de Alabama, donde grabó un álbum clásico que fue bien recibido; "Tell Mama" contiene la balada destacada " Prefiero quedarme ciega."Sin embargo, a pesar de sus éxitos, James era generalmente desconocida fuera de la población negra. Aunque la vida de James estaba fuera de control a principios de la década de 1970, pudo asistir a presentaciones en vivo y sesiones de grabación cuando era necesario. En 1974, James finalmente ingresó a un programa de rehabilitación de drogas como residente en el Hospital Psiquiátrico Tarzana, a las afueras de Los Ángeles, California. Luchando por recomponer su carrera, James saltó de sello discográfico a sello discográfico. En Fantasy, en 1986, se asoció con la leyenda del saxo tenor Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson y grabó dos destacados álbumes de jazz, "Blues in the Night" y "The Late Show"."Ella también estaba afiliada a los sellos Island y Elektra. James luego realizó una gira con los Rolling Stones y actuó en festivales de blues y jazz, con el resultado de que los oyentes blancos finalmente comenzaron a comprar sus álbumes. Cantó durante la ceremonia de apertura olímpica en 1984, y su éxito debut "The Wallflower" se convirtió en parte de la banda sonora de la popular película Regreso al futuro. La cantante incluso hizo algunas apariciones especiales en programas de televisión. James pasó siete años sin contrato discográfico, y luego, en 1988, lanzó "Seven-Year Itch" con Island. Al año siguiente recibió el W. C. Handy Award y el Premio Pionero del Año de la Fundación Rhythm and Blues, y en 1990 la Asociación Nacional para el Avance de las Personas de Color (NAACP) la honraron con dos premios: un Premio Image y un premio a la mejor artista de blues por su álbum "Stickin' to My Guns."James continuó grabando a un ritmo vertiginoso y en la década de 1990 era considerado una leyenda del R&B. Su estatus abovedado se confirmó con su inducción en 1991 al Salón de la Fama de la Bay Area Blues Society y su inducción en 1993 al Salón de la Fama del Rock and Roll. En 1994 comenzó a trabajar con el productor John Snyder en Private Music y lanzó la aclamada "Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday", ganadora de un Premio Grammy a la mejor voz de jazz en 1995. A mediados de los 90 entró en una de las fases más prolíficas de su carrera. "Mystery Lady" siguió los pasos de "Etta James Live from San Francisco" y su autobiografía, a la que siguió "Time after Time", en 1995. La estrella de James siguió ascendiendo hasta el siglo siguiente. En 2001 fue incluida en el Salón de la Fama de la Blues Foundation, y el 18 de abril de 2003, James fue honrada con una estrella en el Paseo de la Fama de Hollywood. Más tarde, ese mismo año, ganó el Premio Grammy a la Trayectoria, luego regresó para otro Grammy en febrero de 2004 por su álbum autoproducido "Let's Roll."Su grabación de 2004, "Blues to the Bone", es una compilación de sus clásicos favoritos del blues. James también se ha beneficiado de poder convertir su carrera en un asunto familiar; a menudo trabaja con sus hijos, quienes la respaldan y producen sus grabaciones. A sus casi 70 años, James, quien durante mucho tiempo había relacionado su amor por la música y continuó sorprendiendo al público con sus conciertos estridentes y entusiastas, no mostró interés en retirarse pronto. Con una nueva apariencia adelgazada, un espectáculo teatral rejuvenecido y celebrando las increíbles cinco décadas como artista discográfica, la leyenda de la música Etta James muestra su arte perdurable en una increíble diversidad de las once canciones que aparecen en su álbum de BMG de 2006, "All The Way."Etta James se encuentra actualmente de gira con BB King y Al Green.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/etta-james/

 

Tiny Topsy • Tiny Topsy & Friends

Born Otha Lee Moore, 22 May 1930, Chicago, Illinois

Died 16 August 1964, Chicago, Illinois.

Active from the mid-40s, when she sang with the Al Smith band in Chicago, Tiny Topsy also made a number of well-received R&B records under her own name during the late 50s and early 60s. Among her recording sessions are some for Federal Records, from one of which came ‘Aw! Shucks, Baby’/‘Miss You So’, billed as by Tiny Topsy And The Five Chances, and which featured tenor saxophonist Ray Felder and vocal group the Charms. Also for Federal she made ‘Come On, Come On, Come On’/‘Ring Around My Finger’, ‘Waterproof Eyes’/‘You Shocked Me’, ‘Western Rock’n Roll’/‘Cha Cha Sue’ and ‘Just A Little Bit’/‘Everybody Needs Some Loving’. Of these, ‘Just A Little Bit’ was later covered very successfully by several artists, including Rosco Gordon and Jerry Lee Lewis. She also released ‘After Marriage Blues’ and ‘Working On Me, Baby’, recorded in 1961 for Argo Records. For some years ‘Tiny Topsy’ was believed to be a pseudonym used by singer-songwriter Bernice Williams (who wrote ‘Western Rock’n Roll’) although this is now largely discounted. Just who Tiny Topsy was remains unknown.

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Nacido Otha Lee Moore, 22 de mayo de 1930, Chicago, Illinois

Murió el 16 de agosto de 1964, en Chicago, Illinois.

Activo desde mediados de los 40, cuando cantó con la banda de Al Smith en Chicago, Tiny Topsy también hizo varios discos de R&B bien recibidos bajo su propio nombre a finales de los 50 y principios de los 60. Entre sus sesiones de grabación hay algunas para Federal Records, de una de las cuales salió 'Aw! Shucks, Baby'/'Miss You So', facturado por Tiny Topsy And The Five Chances, y que contó con el saxofonista tenor Ray Felder y el grupo vocal The Charms. También para Federal hizo 'Come On, Come On, Come On'/'Ring Around My Finger', 'Waterproof Eyes'/'You Shocked Me', 'Western Rock'n Roll'/'Cha Cha Sue' y 'Just A Little Bit'/'Everybody Needs Some Loving'. De estos, 'Just A Little Bit' fue cubierto más tarde con mucho éxito por varios artistas, incluyendo Rosco Gordon y Jerry Lee Lewis. También publicó 'After Marriage Blues' y 'Working On Me, Baby', grabado en 1961 para Argo Records. Durante algunos años se creyó que "Tiny Topsy" era un seudónimo utilizado por la cantautora Bernice Williams (que escribió "Western Rock'n Roll"), aunque ahora se lo descuenta en gran medida. No se sabe quién fue Tiny Topsy.

VA • Have Mercy! The Songs Of Don Covay

 

 

Review
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
As influential as he was as a performer -- and he was, with Mick Jagger owing him a hefty debt -- Don Covay also had a considerable legacy as a songwriter, penning such legendary hits as Wilson Pickett's “Three Time Loser” and Aretha Franklin's “Chain of Fools,” along with the soul standards “Mercy Mercy,” “Long Tall Shorty,” “See Saw,” and “Sookie Sookie.” Have Mercy! The Songs of Don Covay -- a 2012 release from Ace that belongs in their ongoing series of songs and productions from legendary artists -- rounds up 26 of these Covay compositions and, in their standard practice, they anchor the compilation with a couple of big hits (namely the Pickett and Franklin numbers, plus Chubby Checker's “Pony Time”), selecting some lesser-known versions of the aforementioned staples and digging up gems that rarely see circulation. Most of this lies firmly in southern soul territory, but there are enough oddities to keep this surprising: Connie Francis snaps her bubblegum on “Mr. Twister,” Lena Horne brings some showbiz flair to “Love Bug,” Arlene Smith gets bogged down in syrupy strings and corn on “Mon Cherie Au Revoir,” Billy Fury is suitably melodramatic on “Letter Full of Tears,” and Wanda Jackson takes her sandpaper to “There’s a Party Goin’ On,” a blatant rewrite of “Let’s Have a Party.” These are the curiosities. The rest of the compilation offers a pretty perfect pairing of artist and song, whether it’s the Wailers stomping on “Mercy Mercy” or Joe Tex easing through “She Said Yeah,” and the diversity of the material here means all of Have Mercy! is a lasting testament to Covay’s behind-the-stage strengths.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-mercy%21-the-songs-of-don-covay-mw0002377254

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Reseña
por Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tan influyente como intérprete -y lo era, con Mick Jagger en deuda con él- Don Covay también tenía un legado considerable como compositor, autor de éxitos legendarios como "Three Time Loser" de Wilson Pickett y "Chain of Fools" de Aretha Franklin, junto con los estándares del soul "Mercy Mercy", "Long Tall Shorty", "See Saw" y "Sookie Sookie". ¡Have Mercy! The Songs of Don Covay -- un lanzamiento de 2012 de Ace que pertenece a su serie en curso de canciones y producciones de artistas legendarios -- reúne 26 de estas composiciones de Covay y, en su práctica habitual, anclan la compilación con un par de grandes éxitos (a saber, los números de Pickett y Franklin, además de "Pony Time" de Chubby Checker), seleccionando algunas versiones menos conocidas de las grapas antes mencionadas y desenterrando gemas que rara vez ven la circulación. La mayor parte se sitúa en el territorio del soul sureño, pero hay suficientes rarezas como para que resulte sorprendente: Connie Francis hace estallar su chicle en "Mr. Twister", Lena Horne le da un toque de farándula a "Love Bug", Arlene Smith se atasca en cuerdas almibaradas y maíz en "Mon Cherie Au Revoir", Billy Fury es adecuadamente melodramático en "Letter Full of Tears" y Wanda Jackson lleva su papel de lija a "There's a Party Goin' On", una descarada reescritura de "Let's Have a Party". Estas son las curiosidades. El resto de la compilación ofrece un emparejamiento bastante perfecto de artista y canción, ya sean los Wailers zapateando en "Mercy Mercy" o Joe Tex suavemente a través de "She Said Yeah", y la diversidad del material aquí significa que todo Have Mercy! es un testamento duradero de las fortalezas de Covay detrás del escenario.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-mercy%21-the-songs-of-don-covay-mw0002377254


https://acerecords.co.uk/have-mercy-the-songs-of-don-covay

VA • 100 Soul Jazz Vol. 1

 

VA • 100 Soul Jazz Vol. 2

 

Etta James & Bob Dylan • Marriott Hotel

US soul singer Etta James, best known for the tracks At Last and I’d Rather Go Blind, died on January 20, 2012, aged 73. It was announced in 2011 that the singer had been diagnosed with leukaemia and was undergoing treatment. James began singing in a group aged 14, before she embarked upon a solo career where she signed to the legendary Chess Records label. The BCC reported that legendary producer Jerry Wexler once called her “the greatest of all modern blues singers”.

This is an after-hours jam session with Bob Dylan and Etta James and her band. The Bob Dylan Examiner reported that “In the early hours of the 10th, Bob Dylan joined Etta James and Shuggie Otis on stage at the Providence Marriott Hotel. You can almost hear Dylan smile as he kept repeating the same suggestive verse of “I’m A King Bee” (The one about “making honey”).”

Thanks to the person who shared this on Dime in 2005; and to everyone who kept the show alive.

Recorded live at the Marriott Hotel, Providence, RI; July 10, 1986.
Very good to excellent soundboard

 

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La cantante de soul estadounidense Etta James, más conocida por los temas At Last y I'd Rather Go Blind, murió el 20 de enero de 2012, a los 73 años. En 2011 se anunció que a la cantante se le había diagnosticado leucemia y estaba en tratamiento. James comenzó a cantar en un grupo a los 14 años, antes de emprender una carrera en solitario en la que firmó con el legendario sello Chess Records. El BCC informó de que el legendario productor Jerry Wexler la llamó en una ocasión "la más grande de todas las cantantes de blues modernas".

Se trata de una jam session a deshoras con Bob Dylan y Etta James y su banda. El Bob Dylan Examiner informó de que "en las primeras horas del día 10, Bob Dylan se unió a Etta James y Shuggie Otis en el escenario del Providence Marriott Hotel. Casi se puede oír a Dylan sonreír mientras repetía la misma sugerente estrofa de "I'm A King Bee" (La de "hacer miel")."

Gracias a la persona que compartió esto en Dime en 2005; y a todos los que mantuvieron vivo el espectáculo.

Grabado en vivo en el Hotel Marriott, Providence, RI; 10 de julio de 1986.
Caja de resonancia de muy buena a excelente.

Etta James • The Very Best Of Etta James

 

 

Etta James began her long career as a singer early, singing doo-wop as a teenager in the 1950s. She has enjoyed equal success crooning blues ballads, belting out rhythm and blues and rock and roll, or interpreting jazz. While the ease with which she can navigate these various styles demonstrates her impressive skill, it has also served to confound the music industry as to how to categorize her. In the late 20th century and into the next, James has finally been widely acknowledged as one of the most talented singers of her era. James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938. Dorothy, her mother, was just fourteen years old when she gave birth to James, and she never overtly named the father. James's care was left largely to relatives and friends, including a middle-aged couple by the name of Rogers. James and her foster mother, Lula "Mama Lu" Rogers, became particularly close. By the age of five, James was living with her grandparents in Los Angeles. It was at this time, while singing solos with the St. Paul Baptist Church's Echoes of Eden choir under the direction of musical director James Earle Hines that she began to get attention for her powerful voice. Soon she began performing gospel on a local radio broadcast. James turned to music, and when she was fourteen she formed the Creolettes with two other girls. They tracked down Johnny Otis, a bandleader and promoter, when he was playing at the Fillmore. On the strength of the Creolettes' audition for him, Otis arranged for the girls to tour. Otis renamed the group the Peaches and reversed Jamesetta's name, creating the stage name that has endured to this day. The girls started off earning ten dollars per night for their work with Otis's revue. James first recorded with the Peaches in 1955 on the Modern Records label. The song was her own composition and was called "Roll with Me Henry," a coarse response to a song by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters called "Work with Me Annie." The song was rechristened a less-racy "The Wallflower" and became a top-ten hit on the rhythm and blues charts. In 1955 James had another hit on the Modern label, "Good Rockin' Daddy." It became apparent that her talent overshadowed that of her friends, and she separated from the Peaches. Over the ensuing few years James, who was also known as Miss Peaches, toured the country on bills with stars such as Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, zydeco accordionist Clifton Chenier, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Minnie Riperton, and Chuck Berry.

While on the road, she encountered a wide range of responses, from admiration to racism and intimidation, She found herself performing before large, eager crowds, even though her fame had dimmed somewhat since her 1955 hits. One of the highlights of this time was when James shared the stage with Billie Holiday and Count Basie as part of an National Broadcasting Company radio show in New York called Jazz Plus Blues Equals Soul. The performance occurred in the late 1950s, near the end of Holiday's life. As the 1950s ended, James was often on the road and broke. But her fortunes began to turn after she arrived in Chicago, where she drew the attention of Leonard Chess and signed on with his label, Chess Records. Chess was just starting to earn recognition with artists like Berry and Diddley. In the early 1960s, James began a prolific period and became one of R&B's most successful singers. With producer Jerry Wexler, she recorded jazz tunes and soul ballads and ran up a string of hits for Chess's subsidiary label, Argo, such as "At Last" - which peaked at number two on the R&B chart in 1961 - "My Dearest Darling," "Trust Me," and "All I Could Do Was Cry." In 1962 her "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was the most successful of her three hits that year, charting at number four. While Chess helped revitalize James's career, the company also exploited her, as it did many other artists. Royalties were withheld and the company was known to seize the publishing rights to artists' original material. She felt there was too much tinkering and direction. Despite favorable critical reviews for the recordings she produced, James felt on edge in the studio. By the time she was 21, James was addicted to heroin. Her addiction was so disruptive that she stopped recording almost completely between 1964 and 1966, but then pulled herself together enough to record “Call My Name,” an acclaimed blues album. She also recorded some duets with a childhood friend, Sugar Pie DeSanto, which resulted in the hit song "In the Basement." In 1967 James went to work for Alabama's Fame Studios, where she recorded a classic album that was well received; “Tell Mama” contains the standout ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind." Despite her hits, however, James was generally unknown outside the black population. Although life for James was out of control by the early 1970s, she was able to arrive at live performances and recording sessions when necessary. In 1974, James finally entered a drug rehabilitation program as a resident at Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital, just outside of Los Angeles, California. Struggling to pull her career together, James hopped from record label to record label. At Fantasy in 1986 she teamed with tenor sax legend Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and recorded two outstanding jazz albums, “Blues in the Night,” and “The Late Show.” She was also affiliated with the Island and Elektra labels. James then toured with the Rolling Stones and performed at blues and jazz festivals, with the result that white listeners finally began to buy her albums. She sang during the Olympic opening ceremony in 1984, and her debut hit "The Wallflower" became part of the soundtrack to the hugely popular movie Back to the Future. The singer even made some guest appearances on television programs. James went for seven years without a recording contract, and then in 1988 she released “Seven-Year Itch” with Island. The next year she received the W. C. Handy Award and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Pioneer of the Year Award, and in 1990 the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) honored her with two awards: an Image Award and an award for best blues artist for her album “Stickin' to My Guns.” James continued recording at a furious pace and by the 1990s was considered an R&B legend. Her vaulted status was confirmed with her 1991 induction into the Bay Area Blues Society Hall of Fame and her 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994 she began to work with producer John Snyder at Private Music and released the critically acclaimed “Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday,” winning a Grammy Award for best jazz vocal in 1995. By mid ‘90’s she entered one of her career's most prolific phases. “Mystery Lady” followed on the heels of both “Etta James Live from San Francisco” and her autobiography, which was followed by “Time after Time,” in 1995. James's star kept rising into the next century. In 2001 she was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame, and on April 18, 2003, James was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Later that same year she won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, then returned for another Grammy in February 2004 for her self-produced album “Let's Roll.” Her 2004 recording, “Blues to the Bone,” is a compilation of her favorite blues classics. James has also benefited from being able to turn her career into a family affair; she often works with her sons, who back her and produce her recordings. At nearly 70 years old, James—who had long related her love of music and continued to wow audiences with her raucous and enthusiastic concerts—showed no interest retiring any time soon. With a new slimmed-down look, a rejuvenated stage show and celebrating an incredible five decades as a recording artist, music legend Etta James showcases her enduring artistry on an amazing diversity of the eleven songs featured on her 2006 BMG album, “All The Way.” Etta James is currently on tour with B.B.King, and Al Green.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/etta-james/

 

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Etta James comenzó su larga carrera como cantante temprano, cantando doo-wop cuando era adolescente en la década de 1950. Ha disfrutado del mismo éxito cantando baladas de blues, cantando rhythm and blues y rock and roll, o interpretando jazz. Si bien la facilidad con la que puede navegar por estos diversos estilos demuestra su impresionante habilidad, también ha servido para confundir a la industria de la música sobre cómo clasificarla. A finales del siglo XX y principios del siguiente, James finalmente ha sido ampliamente reconocida como una de las cantantes más talentosas de su época. James nació Jamesetta Hawkins en Los Ángeles, California, el 25 de enero de 1938. Dorothy, su madre, tenía solo catorce años cuando dio a luz a James, y nunca nombró abiertamente al padre. El cuidado de James quedó en gran parte en manos de familiares y amigos, incluida una pareja de mediana edad llamada Rogers. James y su madre adoptiva, Lula "Mama Lu" Rogers, se hicieron particularmente cercanas. A la edad de cinco años, James vivía con sus abuelos en Los Ángeles. Fue en este momento, mientras cantaba solos con el St. El coro Echoes of Eden de Paul Baptist Church, bajo la dirección del director musical James Earle Hines, comenzó a llamar la atención por su poderosa voz. Pronto comenzó a interpretar gospel en una transmisión de radio local. James se dedicó a la música y cuando tenía catorce años formó The Creolettes con otras dos chicas. Localizaron a Johnny Otis, líder de una banda y promotor, cuando tocaba en el Fillmore. Gracias a la audición de las criollas para él, Otis hizo arreglos para que las chicas salieran de gira. Otis cambió el nombre del grupo a The Peaches e invirtió el nombre de Jamesetta, creando el nombre artístico que ha perdurado hasta el día de hoy. Las chicas comenzaron ganando diez dólares por noche por su trabajo con la revista de Otis. James grabó por primera vez con The Peaches en 1955 en el sello Modern Records. La canción era su propia composición y se llamaba "Roll with Me Henry", una respuesta burda a una canción de Hank Ballard y los Midnighters llamada " Work with Me Annie. La canción fue rebautizada como "The Wallflower" menos atrevida y se convirtió en un éxito entre los diez primeros en las listas de rhythm and blues .  En 1955 James tuvo otro éxito en el sello Modern, "Good Rockin' Daddy."Se hizo evidente que su talento eclipsaba al de sus amigos, y se separó de los Peaches. Durante los años siguientes, James, también conocida como Miss Peaches, recorrió el país en bills con estrellas como Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Marvin Gaye, el acordeonista de zydeco Clifton Chenier, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Minnie Riperton y Chuck Berry.

Mientras estaba de gira, se encontró con una amplia gama de respuestas, desde admiración hasta racismo e intimidación, se encontró actuando ante grandes multitudes ansiosas, a pesar de que su fama se había atenuado un poco desde sus éxitos de 1955. Uno de los momentos más destacados de esta época fue cuando James compartió escenario con Billie Holiday y Count Basie como parte de un programa de radio de National Broadcasting Company en Nueva York llamado Jazz Plus Blues Equals Soul. La actuación ocurrió a fines de la década de 1950, cerca del final de la vida de Holiday. A medida que terminaba la década de 1950, James a menudo viajaba y se arruinaba. Pero su suerte comenzó a cambiar después de llegar a Chicago, donde llamó la atención de Leonard Chess y firmó con su sello, Chess Records. El ajedrez apenas comenzaba a ganar reconocimiento con artistas como Berry y Diddley. A principios de la década de 1960, James inició un período prolífico y se convirtió en uno de los cantantes de R&B más exitosos. Con el productor Jerry Wexler, grabó melodías de jazz y baladas soul y publicó una serie de éxitos para el sello subsidiario de Chess, Argo , como "At Last", que alcanzó el puesto número dos en la lista de R&B en 1961, "My Dearest Darling", "Trust Me" y " All I Could Do Was Cry."En 1962, su" Something's Got a Hold on Me " fue el más exitoso de sus tres éxitos ese año, llegando al número cuatro. Si bien el ajedrez ayudó a revitalizar la carrera de James, la compañía también la explotó, como lo hizo con muchos otros artistas. Se retuvieron las regalías y se sabía que la compañía se apoderaba de los derechos de publicación del material original de los artistas. Ella sintió que había demasiados retoques y dirección. A pesar de las críticas favorables de las grabaciones que produjo, James se sintió nervioso en el estudio. Cuando tenía 21 años, James era adicta a la heroína. Su adicción fue tan disruptiva que dejó de grabar casi por completo entre 1964 y 1966, pero luego se recompuso lo suficiente como para grabar "Call My Name", un aclamado álbum de blues. También grabó algunos duetos con un amigo de la infancia, Sugar Pie DeSanto, que dieron como resultado la exitosa canción " In the Basement. En 1967, James se fue a trabajar a los Fame Studios de Alabama, donde grabó un álbum clásico que fue bien recibido; "Tell Mama" contiene la balada destacada " Prefiero quedarme ciega."Sin embargo, a pesar de sus éxitos, James era generalmente desconocida fuera de la población negra. Aunque la vida de James estaba fuera de control a principios de la década de 1970, pudo asistir a presentaciones en vivo y sesiones de grabación cuando era necesario. En 1974, James finalmente ingresó a un programa de rehabilitación de drogas como residente en el Hospital Psiquiátrico Tarzana, a las afueras de Los Ángeles, California. Luchando por recomponer su carrera, James saltó de sello discográfico a sello discográfico. En Fantasy, en 1986, se asoció con la leyenda del saxo tenor Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson y grabó dos destacados álbumes de jazz, "Blues in the Night" y "The Late Show"."Ella también estaba afiliada a los sellos Island y Elektra. James luego realizó una gira con los Rolling Stones y actuó en festivales de blues y jazz, con el resultado de que los oyentes blancos finalmente comenzaron a comprar sus álbumes. Cantó durante la ceremonia de apertura olímpica en 1984, y su éxito debut "The Wallflower" se convirtió en parte de la banda sonora de la popular película Regreso al futuro. La cantante incluso hizo algunas apariciones especiales en programas de televisión. James pasó siete años sin contrato discográfico, y luego, en 1988, lanzó "Seven-Year Itch" con Island. Al año siguiente recibió el W. C. Handy Award y el Premio Pionero del Año de la Fundación Rhythm and Blues, y en 1990 la Asociación Nacional para el Avance de las Personas de Color (NAACP) la honraron con dos premios: un Premio Image y un premio a la mejor artista de blues por su álbum "Stickin' to My Guns."James continuó grabando a un ritmo vertiginoso y en la década de 1990 era considerado una leyenda del R&B. Su estatus abovedado se confirmó con su inducción en 1991 al Salón de la Fama de la Bay Area Blues Society y su inducción en 1993 al Salón de la Fama del Rock and Roll. En 1994 comenzó a trabajar con el productor John Snyder en Private Music y lanzó la aclamada "Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday", ganadora de un Premio Grammy a la mejor voz de jazz en 1995. A mediados de los 90 entró en una de las fases más prolíficas de su carrera. "Mystery Lady" siguió los pasos de "Etta James Live from San Francisco" y su autobiografía, a la que siguió "Time after Time", en 1995. La estrella de James siguió ascendiendo hasta el siglo siguiente. En 2001 fue incluida en el Salón de la Fama de la Blues Foundation, y el 18 de abril de 2003, James fue honrada con una estrella en el Paseo de la Fama de Hollywood. Más tarde, ese mismo año, ganó el Premio Grammy a la Trayectoria, luego regresó para otro Grammy en febrero de 2004 por su álbum autoproducido "Let's Roll."Su grabación de 2004, "Blues to the Bone", es una compilación de sus clásicos favoritos del blues. James también se ha beneficiado de poder convertir su carrera en un asunto familiar; a menudo trabaja con sus hijos, quienes la respaldan y producen sus grabaciones. A sus casi 70 años, James, quien durante mucho tiempo había relacionado su amor por la música y continuó sorprendiendo al público con sus conciertos estridentes y entusiastas, no mostró interés en retirarse pronto. Con una nueva apariencia adelgazada, un espectáculo teatral rejuvenecido y celebrando las increíbles cinco décadas como artista discográfica, la leyenda de la música Etta James muestra su arte perdurable en una increíble diversidad de las once canciones que aparecen en su álbum de BMG de 2006, "All The Way."Etta James se encuentra actualmente de gira con BB King y Al Green.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/etta-james/

  

Etta James • The Best of Etta James

Jamesetta Hawkins (Los Ángeles, 25 de enero de 1938-Riverside, California, 20 de enero de 2012), más conocida por su nombre artístico Etta James, fue una cantante estadounidense de géneros soul, jazz y rhythm and blues, considerada una de las grandes voces en la historia del rhythm & blues.1​2​

James fue prodigiosa en su tono de voz y esto le permitió convertirse en una cantante de góspel, interpretando en el coro de su iglesia de barrio en Los Ángeles. Empezó a hacer interpretaciones en la radio a los cinco años, bajo la tutela e instrucción del profesor James Earle Hines. Se trasladó a San Francisco en 1950, formando de inmediato un grupo con otras dos cantantes. Cuando tenía 14 años, presentó su primera audición con el director de orquesta Johnny Otis.

A petición de su madre, Etta regresó a Los Ángeles para grabar "Roll With Me Henry" (rebautizada en la galleta del disco como "The wallflower") con la banda Otis y el vocalista Richard Berry para la compañía discográfica Modern Records. Otis llamó al trío vocal The Peaches (más tarde, un apodo de Etta). La canción "Roll with me Henry" llegó a los primeros puestos de las listas de éxitos en 1955.

The Peaches se disolvió pronto, y Etta siguió cantando para Modern Records durante toda la década de 1950 (frecuentemente bajo la supervisión del saxo Maxwell Davis). "Good Rockin' Daddy" fue otro éxito a finales de 1955, aunque otras canciones como "W-O-M-A-N" y "Tough Lover" no lo fueron tanto.

En 1960 comienza a trabajar con la discográfica Chess Records de Chicago, cantando para la subsidiaria Argo. Inmediatamente, su carrera alcanzó un nivel altísimo de popularidad; no sólo hizo un par de dúos con su novio (el cantante líder de los Moonglows, Harvey Fuqua), sino que individualmente grabó canciones como la apasionada balada "All I Could Do Was Cry", alcanzando lo más alto de las listas de éxitos de R&B. Leonard Chess entendió a Etta como una cantante clásica de baladas con un potencial añadido para la canción popular, e hizo que la acompañase una orquestación de violines para su grabación de los temas «At Last» y «Trust in me» en 1961. No obstante, Etta no abandonó su lado más áspero: en 1962 grabó «Something's Got a Hold on Me», con tonos de góspel, en 1963 un vibrante disco en directo (Etta James Rocks the House) grabado en el New Era Club de Nashville, y en 1966 un dueto blusístico, «In the Basement», con su amiga Sugar Pie De Santo.

En 1967 grabó uno de sus temas clásicos, «Tell Mama», una balada soul optimista que contrastaba con otros temas más dramáticos de la misma sesión como "I'd Rather Go Blind". A pesar de la muerte de Leonard Chess, Etta permaneció en la compañía hasta 1975, aproximándose finalmente a la música rock.

Tras unos años difíciles, regresó en 1988 con un disco para Island titulado Seven Year Itch, que reafirmó su maestría en el soul sureño. Sus siguientes discos fueron variados, aproximándose tanto a la música más contemporánea (en 1990 con Sticking to My Guns) como a la emotividad más explícita (en 1992 con The Right Time), pasando por algunas aproximaciones al jazz y a la música navideña, como en 1998 con Etta James Christmas.

James poseía el rango vocal de contralto. Su estilo musical cambió a lo largo de su carrera. Al comienzo de su carrera como grabadora, a mediados de la década de 1950, James se comercializó como cantante de R&B y doo-wop. Después de firmar con Chess Records en 1960, se abrió paso como cantante de estilo pop tradicional, cubriendo los estándares de jazz y pop en su álbum debut, At Last!. La voz de James se hizo más profunda y áspera, moviendo su estilo musical en sus últimos años en los géneros del soul y el jazz.

James fue una vez considerada una de las músicas de blues y R&B más ignoradas en la historia de la música de los Estados Unidos. No fue sino hasta principios de la década de 1990 cuando comenzó a recibir importantes premios de la industria de los Grammy y la Blues Foundation, y comenzó a recibir un amplio reconocimiento. En los últimos años, se la vio como un puente entre el rhythm and blues y el rock and roll. James influyó en una gran variedad de músicos, entre ellos Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland y Hayley Williams de Paramore, así como en los artistas británicos The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Elkie Brooks y Amy Winehouse.

Su canción "Something's Got a Hold on Me" ha sido reconocida de muchas maneras. El acto musical de Bruselas Vaya con Dios cubrió la canción en su álbum de 1990 Night Owls. Otra versión, realizada por Christina Aguilera, fue en la película Burlesque, del 2010. Pretty Lights probó la canción en "Finally Moving", seguida del éxito de baile de Avicii "Levels", y nuevamente en el sencillo de Florida, "Good Feeling".

El 23 de diciembre de 2011 fue ingresada en el hospital Riverside Community de California con una leucemia terminal.3​ La cantante, ganadora de seis premios Grammy, fue adicta a la heroína durante muchos años. Falleció el 20 de enero de 2012 a los 73 años, lo anunció su amiga y representante Lupe de León.4​ Christina Aguilera conmemoró a Etta cantando en su funeral el sencillo "At Last".

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Jamesetta Hawkins, best known as Etta James (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse, and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.

James's powerful, deep, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001. Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was also ranked number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

            

Hawkins was born on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to Dorothy Hawkins, who was 14 at the time. Although her father has never been identified, James speculated that she was the daughter of pool player Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, whom she met briefly in 1987. Her mother was frequently absent from their apartment in Watts, conducting relationships with various men, and James lived with a series of foster parents, most notably "Sarge" and "Mama" Lu. James referred to her mother as "the Mystery Lady".

James received her first professional vocal training at the age of five from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at the St. Paul Baptist Church, in South-Central Los Angeles. Under his tutelage, she suffered physical abuse during her formative years, with her instructor often punching her in the chest while she sang to force her voice to come from her gut. As a consequence, she developed an unusually strong voice for a child her age.

Sarge, like the musical director for the choir, was also abusive. During drunken poker games at home, he would awaken James in the early morning hours and force her with beatings to sing for his friends. The trauma of her foster father forcing her to sing under these humiliating circumstances caused her to have difficulties with singing on-demand throughout her career.

In 1950, Mama Lu died, and James's biological mother took her to the Fillmore district of San Francisco. Within a couple of years, she began listening to doo-wop and was inspired to form a girl group, the Creolettes (because of the members' light-skinned complexions).

At the age of 14, she met musician Johnny Otis. Stories on how they met vary. In Otis's version, she came to his hotel after one of his performances in the city and persuaded him to audition her. Another story was that Otis spotted the Creolettes performing at a Los Angeles nightclub and sought for them to record his "answer song" to Hank Ballard's "Work with Me, Annie". Otis took the group under his wing, helping them sign to Modern Records and changing their name from the Creolettes to the Peaches. He also gave the singer her stage name, transposing Jamesetta into Etta James. James recorded the version, for which she was given credit as co-author, in 1954, and the record was released in early 1955 as "Dance with Me, Henry". The original title of the song was "Roll with Me, Henry", but it was changed to avoid censorship due to the off-color title (roll implying sexual activity). In February of that year, the song reached number one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Tracks chart. Its success gave the group an opening spot on Little Richard's national tour.

While James was on tour with Richard, pop singer Georgia Gibbs recorded a version of James's song, which was released under the title "The Wallflower" and became a crossover hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which angered James. After leaving the Peaches, James had another R&B hit with "Good Rockin' Daddy" but struggled with follow-ups. When her contract with Modern came up for renewal in 1960, she signed a contract with Chess Records instead. Shortly afterward she was involved in a relationship with the singer Harvey Fuqua, the founder of the doo-wop group the Moonglows.

Musician Bobby Murray toured with James for over 20 years. He wrote that James had her first hit single when she was 15 years old and went steady with B.B. King when she was 16. James believed that King's hit single "Sweet Sixteen" was about her. In early 1955, she and an aspiring singer, the 19-year-old Elvis Presley, then recording for Sun Studios and an avid fan of King's, shared a bill in a large club just outside Memphis. In her autobiography, she noted how impressed she was with the young singer's manners. She also recalled how happy he made her many years later when she found out that it was Presley who had moved her close friend Jackie Wilson from a substandard convalescent home to a more appropriate facility and, as she put it, paid all the expenses. Presley died a year later. Wilson went on to live for another ten years in the care center Presley found for him.

Dueting with Harvey Fuqua, James recorded for Argo Records (later renamed Cadet Records), a label established by Chess. Her first hit singles with Fuqua were "If I Can't Have You" and "Spoonful". Her first solo hit was the doo-wop–styled rhythm-and-blues song "All I Could Do Was Cry", which was a number two R&B hit. Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess envisioned James as a classic ballad stylist who had potential to cross over to the pop charts and soon surrounded the singer with violins and other string instruments. The first string-laden ballad James recorded was "My Dearest Darling" in May 1960, which peaked in the top five of the R&B chart. James sang background vocals for her labelmate Chuck Berry on his "Back in the U.S.A."

Her debut album, At Last!, was released in late 1960 and was noted for its varied selection of music, from jazz standards to blues to doo-wop and rhythm and blues (R&B). The album included the future classic "I Just Want to Make Love to You" and "A Sunday Kind of Love". In early 1961, James released what was to become her signature song, "At Last", which reached number two on the R&B chart and number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. Though the record was not as successful as expected, her rendition has become the best-known version of the song. James followed that with "Trust in Me", which also included string instruments. Later that same year, James released a second studio album, The Second Time Around. The album took the same direction as her first, covering jazz and pop standards and with strings on many of the songs. It produced two hit singles, "Fool That I Am" and "Don't Cry Baby".

James started adding gospel elements in her music the following year, releasing "Something's Got a Hold on Me", which peaked at number four on the R&B chart and was a Top 40 pop hit. That success was quickly followed by "Stop the Wedding", which reached number six on the R&B chart and also had gospel elements. In 1963, she had another major hit with "Pushover" and released the live album Etta James Rocks the House, recorded at the New Era Club in Nashville, Tennessee. After a couple of years of minor hits, James's career started to suffer after 1965. After a period of isolation, she returned to recording in 1967 and reemerged with more gutsy R&B numbers thanks to her recording at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. These sessions yielded her comeback hit "Tell Mama", co-written by Clarence Carter, which reached number ten R&B and number twenty-three pop. An album of the same name was also released that year and included her take on Otis Redding's "Security". The B-side of "Tell Mama" was "I'd Rather Go Blind", which became a blues classic and has been recorded by many other artists. In her autobiography, Rage to Survive, she wrote that she heard the song outlined by her friend Ellington "Fugi" Jordan when she visited him in prison. According to her account, she wrote the rest of the song with Jordan, but for tax reasons gave her songwriting credit to her partner at the time, Billy Foster.

Following this success, James became an in-demand concert performer though she never again reached the heyday of her early to mid-1960s success. Her records continued to chart in the R&B Top 40 in the early 1970s, with singles such as "Losers Weepers" (1970) and "I Found a Love" (1972). Though James continued to record for Chess, she was devastated by the death of Leonard Chess in 1969. James ventured into rock and funk with the release of her self-titled album in 1973, with production from the famed rock producer Gabriel Mekler, who had worked with Steppenwolf and Janis Joplin, who had admired James and had covered "Tell Mama" in concert. The album, known for its mixture of musical styles, was nominated for a Grammy Award. The album did not produce any major hits; neither did the follow-up, Come a Little Closer, in 1974, though, like Etta James before it, the album was also critically acclaimed. James continued to record for Chess (now owned by All Platinum Records), releasing one more album in 1976, Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! Her 1978 album Deep in the Night, produced by Jerry Wexler for Warner Bros., incorporated more rock-based music in her repertoire. That same year, James was the opening act for the Rolling Stones and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Following this brief success, however, she left Chess Records and did not record for another ten years as she struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism.

Though she continued to perform, little was heard of James until 1984, when she contacted David Wolper and asked to perform in the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics, at which she sang "When the Saints Go Marching In". In 1987, she performed "Rock & Roll Music" with Chuck Berry in the documentary film Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll.

In 1989, she signed with Island Records and released the albums Seven Year Itch and Stickin' to My Guns, both of which were produced by Barry Beckett and recorded at FAME Studios. Also in 1989 James was filmed in a concert at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles with Joe Walsh and Albert Collins for the film Jazzvisions: Jump the Blues Away. Many of the backing musicians were top-flight players from Los Angeles: Rick Rosas (bass), Michael Huey (drums), Ed Sanford (Hammond B3 organ), Kip Noble (piano) and Josh Sklair, her longtime guitar player.

James participated with the rap singer Def Jef on the song "Droppin' Rhymes on Drums", which mixed James's jazz vocals with hip-hop. In 1992, she recorded the album The Right Time, produced by Jerry Wexler for Elektra Records. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

James signed with Private Music Records in 1993 and recorded a Billie Holiday tribute album, Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday. The album set a trend of incorporating more jazz elements in James's music. The album won James her first Grammy Award, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female, in 1994. In 1995, her autobiography, A Rage to Survive, co-written with David Ritz, was published. Also in 1995, she recorded the album Time After Time. A Christmas album, Etta James Christmas, was released in 1998.

By the mid-1990s, James's earlier classic music was being used in commercials, including "I Just Wanna Make Love to You". After an excerpt of the song was featured in a Diet Coke advertising campaign in the UK, it reached the top ten on the UK charts in 1996.

By 1998, with the release of Life, Love & the Blues, she had added as backing musicians her sons, Donto and Sametto, on drums and bass, respectively. They continued as part of her touring band. She went on recording for Private Music, which released the blues album Matriarch of the Blues in 2000, on which she returned to her R&B roots; Rolling Stone hailed it as a "solid return to roots", further stating that with this album she was "reclaiming her throne—and defying anyone to knock her off it". In 2001, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the latter for her contributions to the developments of both rock and roll and rockabilly. In 2003, she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. On her 2004 release, Blue Gardenia, she returned to a jazz style. Her final album for Private Music, Let's Roll, released in 2005, won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked her number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

James at the 2006 Common Ground Festival in Lansing, Michigan

James performed at the top jazz festivals in the world, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1977, 1989, 1990 and 1993. She performed nine times at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival and five times at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. She performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival in 1990, 1997, 2004, and 2007. She performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2006, 2009, and 2012. She also often performed at free summer arts festivals throughout the United States.

In 2008, James was portrayed by Beyoncé Knowles in the film Cadillac Records, a fictional account of Chess Records, James's label for 18 years, and how label founder and producer Leonard Chess helped the careers of James and others. The film portrayed her pop hit "At Last". James later said that her previous critical remarks about Knowles for having performed "At Last" at the inauguration of Barack Obama were a joke stemming from how she felt hurt that she herself was not invited to sing her song. It was later reported that Alzheimer's disease and "drug-induced dementia" had contributed to her negative comments about Knowles.

In April 2009, at the age of 71, James made her final television appearance, performing "At Last" on the program Dancing with the Stars. In May 2009, she received the Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year award from the Blues Foundation, the ninth time she won the award. She carried on touring but by 2010 had to cancel concert dates because of her gradually failing health, after it was revealed that she was suffering from dementia and leukemia. In November 2011, James released her final album, The Dreamer, which was critically acclaimed upon its release. She announced that this would be her final album. Her continuing relevance was affirmed in 2011 when the late Swedish DJ Avicii achieved substantial chart success with the song "Levels", which samples her 1962 song "Something's Got a Hold on Me". The same sample was used by the east coast rapper Flo Rida in his 2011 hit single "Good Feeling". Both artists issued statements of condolence upon James's death.

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Etta James among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.

James possessed the vocal range of a contralto. Her musical style changed during the course of her career. At the beginning of her recording career, in the mid-1950s, James was marketed as an R&B and doo-wop singer. After signing with Chess Records in 1960, James broke through as a traditional pop-styled singer, covering jazz and pop music standards on her debut album, At Last! James's voice deepened and coarsened, moving her musical style in her later years into the genres of soul and jazz.

James was once considered one of the most overlooked blues and R&B musicians in the music history of the United States. It was not until the early 1990s, when she began receiving major industry awards from the Grammys and the Blues Foundation, that she received wide recognition. In recent years,[when?] she was seen as bridging the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. James has influenced a wide variety of musicians, including Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Janis Joplin, Brandy, Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, and Hayley Williams of Paramore as well as British artists The Rolling Stones, Elkie Brooks, Paloma Faith, Joss Stone Rita Ora, and Adele, and the Belgian singer Dani Klein.

Her song "Something's Got a Hold on Me" has been recognized in many ways. Brussels music act Vaya Con Dios covered the song on their 1990 album Night Owls. Another version, performed by Christina Aguilera, was in the 2010 film Burlesque. Pretty Lights sampled the song in "Finally Moving", followed by Avicii's dance hit "Levels", and again in Flo Rida's single "Good Feeling".

Personal life

James was hospitalized in January 2010 to treat an infection caused by MRSA, a bacterium resistant to many antibiotics. During her hospitalization, her son Donto revealed that she had received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 2008.

James was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2011. The illness became terminal, and her husband Art Miller was appointed sole conservator of the James estate and to oversee her medical care. She died on January 20, 2012, five days before her 74th birthday, at Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, California. Her death came three days after that of Johnny Otis, the man who had discovered her in the 1950s. Thirty-six days after her death, her sideman Red Holloway died.

James's tomb at Inglewood Park Cemetery

Her funeral was presided over by Reverend Al Sharpton and took place in Gardena, California eight days after her death. Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, and Christina Aguilera each gave a musical tribute. She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles County, California.