The one, the only ETTA JAMES....

       Born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938 in Los Angeles.  As a child, Etta was a gospel prodigy, singing on the radio at the age of five. In 1950, at the tender age of 12, she moved north to San Francisco, formed a trio and eventually began working for bandleader Johnny Otis.  She moved to Los Angeles in 1954, to record "Roll with Me Henry", with the Otis band. Because some radio stations objected to the record titles meaning, it went out over the airwaves  as "The Wallflower".  That year the young singer became Etta James and her vocal group was dubbed The Peaches (Etta's nickname). Soon after, she launched her solo career singing "Good Rockin' Daddy" in 1955, and then signed with Chicago's Chess Records in 1960.
       Her career soared and the resulting chart toppers included her and then-boyfriend, Harvey Fuqua's powerful ballad duets; "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Trust in Me", and "At Last".  Etta followed those hits with strong, earthy gospel fused music such as "Something's Got a Hold On Me" in 1962 and "In The Basement" in 1966.  Her contract and collaboration ended with Chess Records in 1977, at which time she signed with Warner Brothers Records and subsequently recorded and received acclaim for "Deep In The Night" and "Seven Year Itch".
       Despite battling heroin addiction from the early 1960s on through 1974, Etta still managed to climb the R&B charts with the songs; "Tell Mama" 1967,  "Losers Weepers" 1970,  and  "I've Found a Love" 1972, even though she spent a good deal of time in L.A.'s Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital, during this period.   In addition to her heroin addiction, James also endured a lifetime of struggling with obesity and related health issues, in 2003 she chose gastric bypass surgery and shed over 195 pounds.  James explained to Ebony magazine that the dramatic weight loss had a significant impact on her voice, allowing her to sing lower, higher, and louder.

       Etta James has been recognized with a star, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and soared to the top of the Billboard Charts as both an R&B and Jazz artist.  Her first Grammy came for 1994's Mystery Lady: The Songs of Billie Holiday, followed by a 2003 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as two other Grammys; one in 2003 and another for Blues to the Bone in 2004.  Both her sons; Donto and Sametto James, served as producers on the 2003 & 2004 recordings, along with Josh Sklair.   The Blues Hall of Fame inducted her in 2001 and she is also honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Her RCA Records release of "All the Way" in 2006, which featured cover versions of songs by Prince, Marvin Gaye, and James Brown, garnered Etta a Billboard R&B Founders Award.  She participated in a tribute album the following year for jazz great Ella Fitzgerald called "We Love Ella".

       She performed at the 77' Montreux Jazz Festival and opened a few times for the Rolling Stones' U.S. tour back in 1978.   She also appeared at the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. After returning to Muscle Shoals studio, she recorded "The Right Time", with producer Jerry Wexler (who'd also worked on her "Deep in the Night" album) and included a duet with Steve Winwood.   Her autobiography, "Rage to Survive" was published in 1995.  Always soulful, with an extraordinary voice, and sassy attitude, though the years are catching up with her, she continues to entertain us.

For more information on ETTA JAMES visit the following link: http://www.amazon.com/Rage-Survive-Etta-James-Story/dp/0306812622