Etta James
Etta James (born January 25, 1938 as Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles , California - † January 20, 2012 in Riverside , California) was an American rhythm and blues , blues , gospel , soul , rock 'n'-roll and jazz singer .
Life
Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins to a 14-year-old African American woman. She received her first singing lessons at the age of five from James Earle Hines , director of the Echoes-of-Eden Choir at St. Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles. In 1950 she moved to San Francisco with her family .
In 1952 she founded the trio "The Creolettes", which was discovered by Johnny Otis . There are numerous versions of how this discovery came about. Otis' version is that Etta James walked into his hotel room after one of his performances in San Francisco and talked him into an audition . Etta James herself says that this was one of the girls from the trio and that they sang Otis at two o'clock. Otis suggested that she swap the syllables of her first name and make a stage name out of it. Her first recordings, together with "The Otis", followed soon after. The song The Wallflower , an answer to Hank Ballard's song Work with Me, Annie , became an instant hit in the R&B world. The song was later reinterpreted by Georgia Gibbs as Dance with Me, Henry .
Until 1960 she sang as Etta James & the Peaches , after which she moved to Chess Records . Nevertheless, for a long time there was no success in the mainstream. Commercial success only came after she switched to Chess Records. It started with All I Could Do Was Cry and continued through the 1960s. With the rise of disco music at the beginning of the 1970s, her success decreased again, but her previous work has already made her an icon of American music. After successfully fighting her drug addiction, she got involved in anti-drug projects. In 1978 and 1980 she was the opening act for the Rolling Stones . At the opening of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she sang When the Saints Go Marching In . In 1993 she received the Living Blues Award for best blues artist from the critics ; an award that she also received in 2004. In 1995 she published her biography Rage to Survive , written by David Ritz.
Her singing was characterized by a rich, resonant, mature voice that is a young audience primarily known because the mid-1990s in a Coca Cola commercial film with the Muddy Waters -Klassiker I Just Wanna Make Love to You was heard . In Austria, at the end of the 1990s, their biggest hit, At Last, was used in a vinegar commercial and was once again known to a wide audience. The film Cadillac Records shows the phase of her life from the move to Chess Records (1960) to the death of the founder Leonard Chess (1969). The film was released in German cinemas on April 23, 2009. Beyoncé embodies Etta in it.
In 2006 James released a cover version of the Prince song Purple Rain and in 2011 it can be heard as a sample on the single levels of the Swedish DJ Avicii .
Her sons Donto ( drums ) and Sametto ( bass ) are also musicians and were part of their backing band, The Roots Band . Sametto also produced her Grammy-winning album Let's Roll .
Etta James, who had Alzheimer's disease , leukemia and hepatitis C , made her last public appearance in April 2009. She died on January 20, 2012 of complications from severe pneumonia , just three days after the death of her discoverer Johnny Otis.
Awards
- 1993: Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 1994: Grammy for best jazz voice
- 1999: At Last (Argo, 1961) inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
- 2001: Induction into the Blues Hall of Fame
- 2003: Grammy for life's work
- 2003: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Category: Music)
- 2004: Grammy for best contemporary blues album ( Let's Roll )
- 2005: Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album ( Blues To The Bone )
- 2008: The Wallflower (aka Roll with me, Henry ) (Modern Records 1955) was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame
- 2008: Rank 22 of Rolling Stone's 100 best singers of all time
Discography
Studio albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AT
|
 CH
|
 UK
|
 US
|
|||
| 1960 | At last! | - | - | - |
US68 (... weeks) US |
First published: 1960
|
| 1963 | Etta James Top Ten | - | - | - |
US117 (4 weeks) US |
First published: 1963
|
| 1968 | Tell mom | - | - | - |
US82 (13 weeks) US |
First published: 1968
|
| 1973 | Etta James | - | - | - |
US154 (9 weeks) US |
First published: 1973
|
| 1988 | Seven Year Itch | - |
CH19 (5 weeks) CH |
- | - |
First published: 1988
|
| 1990 | Stickin 'To My Guns | - |
CH18 (11 weeks) CH |
- | - |
First published: 1990
|
| 2003 | Let's roll | - | - | - |
US195 (1 week) US |
First release: 2003
Grammy 2004 Best Contemporary Blues Album |
| 2011 | The Dreamer |
AT51 (2 weeks) AT |
- | - | - |
First published: 2011
|
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
more publishments
- 1961: The Second Time Around
- 1962: Etta James
- 1962: Sings for Lovers
- 1965: The Queen of Soul
- 1966: Call My Name
- 1970: Etta James Sings Funk
- 1971: Losers Weepers
- 1974: Come a Little Closer
- 1976: Etta Is Betta Than Evvah!
- 1978: Deep in the Night
- 1980: Changes
- 1992: The Right Time
- 1994: Mystery Lady - Songs of Billie Holiday
- 1995: Time After Time
- 1997: Love's Been Rough on Me
- 1998: Life, Love & the Blues
- 1998: 12 Songs of Christmas
- 1999: Heart of a Woman
- 2000: Matriarch of the Blues
- 2001: Blue Gardenia
- 2004: Blues to the Bone
- 2006: All the Way
Live albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT
|
CH
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1964 | Etta James Rocks the House | - | - | - |
US96 (10 weeks) US |
First published: 1964
|
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
more publishments
- 1980: Blues From The Big Apple
- 1982: Etta, Red-Hot & Live
- 1986: Jazzvisions: Jump The Blues Away
- 1987: Blues in the Night Volume One: The Early Show
- 1987: The Late Show: Blues in the Night Volume Two
- 1994: Live from San Francisco
- 2002: Burnin 'Down the House: Live at the House of Blues
- 2002: Live and Ready
- 2003: Live in New York
Compilations
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT
|
CH
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1999 | The Best Of Etta James: 20 Century Masters The Millennium Collection |
- | - |
UK-  |
US32 (28 weeks)US |
First published: 1999
|
| 2012 | Her best | - | - | - |
US59 (2 weeks) US |
First published: 2012
|
| At Last - The Best | - | - |
UK22nd  (6 weeks)UK |
US96 (5 weeks) US |
First published: 2012
|
|
| Icon: Etta James | - | - | - |
US155 (3 weeks) US |
First published: 2012
|
|
| Enduring soul | - | - | - |
US54 (4 weeks) US |
First published: 2012
|
|
more publishments
- 1971: Peaches
- 1981: Chess Masters
- 1981: Good Rockin 'Mama
- 1983: Tuff Lover
- 1986: R&B Queen
- 1988: The Sweetest Peaches, Pt. 2
- 1988: Etta James on Chess
- 1989: The Gospel Soul of Etta James
- 1991: Tell Mama, Vol. 1
- 1992: Back in Blues
- 1992: I'd Rather Go Blind
- 1992: My Greatest Songs
- 1997: Respect Yourself
- 1997: Her Best - Chess Legendary Masters Series
- 1998: Hickory Dickory Dock
- 2000: The Chess Box
- 2000: The Best Of Etta James
- 2001: Love Songs
- 2005: Miss Etta James: The Complete Modern and Kent Recordings
- 2006: The Definitive Collection
- 2007: gold
- 2011: Who's Blue ?: Rare Chess Recordings of the 60s and 70s
- 2011: Heart & Soul: A Retrospective
- 2017: The Platinum Collection
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT
|
CH
|
UK
|
US
|
|||
| 1960 | If I Can't Have You Etta James |
- | - | - |
US52 (12 weeks) US |
First published: 1960
with Harvey Fuqua |
| Spoonful Etta James |
- | - | - |
US78 (3 weeks) US |
First published: 1960
with Harvey Fuqua |
|
| All I Could Do Was Cry At Last! |
- | - | - |
US33 (15 weeks) US |
First published: 1960
|
|
| My Dearest Darling At Last! |
- | - | - |
US34 (13 weeks) US |
First published: 1960
|
|
| 1961 | At last at last! |
- | - |
UK39  (11 weeks)UK |
US47 (8 weeks)US |
First published: 1961
|
| Trust In Me At Last! |
- | - | - |
US30 (9 weeks) US |
First published: 1961
|
|
| Fool That I Am The Second Time Around |
- | - | - |
US50 (6 weeks) US |
First published: 1961
|
|
| Dream | - | - | - |
US55 (3 weeks) US |
First published: 1961
B-side of The Second Time Around |
|
| Don't Cry Baby The Second Time Around |
- | - | - |
US39 (7 weeks) US |
First published: 1961
|
|
| Seven Day Fool The Second Time Around |
- | - | - |
US95 (1 week) US |
First published: 1961
|
|
| It's Too Soon To Know | - | - | - |
US54 (7 weeks) US |
First published: 1961
B-side of Seven Day Fool |
|
| 1962 | Something's Got A Hold On Me Etta James / Etta James Top Ten |
- | - | - |
US37 (12 weeks) US |
First published: 1962
|
| Stop The Wedding Etta James Top Ten |
- | - | - |
US34 (9 weeks) US |
First published: 1962
|
|
| Fools Rush In Etta James Sings for Lovers |
- | - | - |
US87 (4 weeks) US |
First published: 1962
|
|
| Next Door To The Blues | - | - | - |
US71 (7 weeks) US |
First published: 1962
B-side of Fools Rush In |
|
| Would It Make Any Difference To You Etta James Top Ten |
- | - | - |
US64 (7 weeks) US |
First published: 1962
|
|
| 1963 | Pushover Etta James Top Ten |
- | - | - |
US25 (10 weeks) US |
First published: 1963
|
| Pay back | - | - | - |
US78 (6 weeks) US |
First published: 1963
|
|
| Two Sides (To Every Story) | - | - | - |
US63 (4 weeks) US |
First published: 1963
|
|
| 1964 | Baby What You Want Me To Do The Queen of Soul |
- | - | - |
US82 (3 weeks) US |
First published: 1964
|
| Loving You More Every Day The Queen of Soul |
- | - | - |
US65 (6 weeks) US |
First published: 1964
|
|
| 1965 | Do I Make Myself Clear | - | - | - |
US96 (1 week) US |
First published: 1965
with Sugar Pie DeSanto |
| 1966 | In The Basement - Part 1 | - | - | - |
US97 (2 weeks) US |
First published: 1966
with Sugar Pie DeSanto |
| 1967 | Tell mama tell mama |
- | - | - |
US23 (14 weeks) US |
First published: 1967
|
| 1968 | Security tell mama |
- | - | - |
US35 (10 weeks) US |
First published: 1968
|
| I got you babe | - | - | - |
US69 (7 weeks) US |
First published: 1968
|
|
| 1969 | Almost persuaded | - | - | - |
US79 (5 weeks) US |
First published: 1969
|
| 1970 | Losers Weepers - Part I Losers, Weepers |
- | - | - |
US94 (3 weeks) US |
First published: 1970
|
| 1990 | Droppin 'Rhymes on Drums | - | - |
UK80 (2 weeks) UK |
- |
First published: 1990
Def Jam and Etta James |
| 1996 | I Just Want To Make Love To You | - | - |
UK5 (11 weeks)UK |
- |
First published: 1996
|
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
more publishments
- 1955: The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)
- 1955: Hey Henry
- 1955: Good Rockin 'Daddy
- 1955: WOMAN
- 1956: Number One
- 1956: Shortnin 'Bread Rock
- 1956: Tough Lover
- 1956: Good Lookin '
- 1957: The Pick-Up
- 1957: Come What May
- 1958: Sunshine of Love
- 1959: I Hope You're Satisfied (with Harvey Fuqua )
- 1964: Breaking Point
- 1964: Mellow Fellow
- 1966: Only Time Will Tell
- 1967: I Prefer You
- 1967: Don't Pick Me for Your Fool
- 1967: Call My Name
- 1968: You Got It
- 1969: Miss Pitiful
- 1969: Tighten Up Your Own Thing
- 1970: Sound of Love
- 1970: Nothing from Nothing Leaves Nothing
- 1971: Take Out Some Insurance
- 1972: I Found a Love
- 1973: All the Way Down
- 1974: You Can Leave Your Hat On
- 1974: Out on the Street, Again
- 1976: Jump Into Love
- 1978: Piece of My Heart
- 1978: Sugar on the Floor
- 1980: Mean Mother
Video albums
- 1991: Live at Montreux [VHS]
- 1992: This Country's Rockin ' [VHS]
- 2002: Etta James and the Roots Band - Burnin 'Down the House
Movies
- 2008: Cadillac Records (her years with Chess Records with Beyoncé Knowles as Etta)
literature
- Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia Of Pop, Rock And Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 322f - ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .
Web links
- Official website with many audio samples
- Etta James discography
- Etta James: Life in Pictures
- Obituary in The Guardian
- Etta James at Discogs (English)
- Etta James - A life soaked in blues - SRF Jazz Collection (Podcast, German)
Individual evidence
- ^ Source diseases www.nachrichten.at accessed on January 21, 2012
- ↑ Etta James is dead Spiegel-Online, January 20, 2012.
- ↑ Etta James in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- ↑ 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 2, 2010, accessed August 9, 2017 .
- ↑ a b c d Chart sources: AT CH UK US chart surfer
- ↑ a b c Music Sales Awards: UK US
- ↑ The album was voted number 118 of the best albums of all time in the poll by Rolling Stone magazine; see Levy, Joe (Ed.): Rolling Stone. The 500 best albums of all time . (Original edition: Rolling Stone. The 500 Greatest Albums of all Time . Wenner Media 2005). Translation: Karin Hofmann. Wiesbaden: White Star Verlag, 2011, p. 111
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | James, Etta |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Hawkins, Jamesetta (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American rhythm and blues, blues, gospel, rock 'n' roll and jazz singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 25, 1938 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Los Angeles , California |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 20, 2012 |
| Place of death | Riverside , California |