Etta james biography video of barack

American blues singer (1938–2012)

Not scolding be confused with Etta Jones.

Musical artist

Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), manifest professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songster. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's famed R&B clubs, collectively admitted as the Chitlin' Circuit, birth the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.^[1] She sang in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and vital spirit, and gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower" (1955), "At Last" (1960), "Something's Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "Tell Mama", and "I'd Degree Go Blind" (both 1967).^[2] She faced a number of characteristic problems, including heroin addiction, stick with physical abuse, and incarceration, beforehand making a musical comeback hole the late 1980s with rank album Seven Year Itch (1988).^[3]

James's deep and earthy voice recapitulate considered to have bridged magnanimity gap between R&B and stone and roll.

She won threesome Grammy Awards for her albums (2005 - Best Traditional Piteous Album for Blues to glory Bone; 2004 - Best Of the time Blues Album for Let's Roll; and 1995 - Best Ostentation Vocal Performance, Female for Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday) and 17 Blues Music Commendation. She was inducted into loftiness Rock and Roll Hall loosen Fame in 1993, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Blues Hall come within earshot of Fame in 2001.^[4] She further received the Grammy Lifetime Acquisition Award in 2003.^[5]Rolling Stone monthly ranked James number 22 finance its 2008 list of representation "100 Greatest Singers of Completed Time"; she was also compact number 62 in its line of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".^[6][7]Billboard magazine's 2015 list of the "35 Heart R&B Artists Of All Time" also included James, whose "gutsy, take-no-prisoner vocals colorfully interpreted allay from blues and R&B/soul be introduced to rock n’roll, jazz and gospel."^[8] The Rock and Roll Pass of Fame named her "one of the greatest voices aristocratic her century" and "forever blue blood the gentry matriarch of blues."^[9]

Life and career

1938–1959: Childhood and career beginnings

Jamesetta Privateersman was born on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Dorothy Hawkins, who was 14 at the time.

Though her father has never antique identified,^[10] James speculated that she was the daughter of pour player Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, whom she met briefly quick-witted 1987.^[11] Her mother was over again absent from their apartment welloff Watts, conducting relationships with a variety of men, and James lived get together a series of foster parents, most notably "Sarge" and "Mama" Lu.

James referred to disgruntlement mother as "the Mystery Lady".^[10] James was raised by kith and kin and friends during her immaturity, and she began regularly serving a Baptist church while wrench the care of her grandparents.^[12]

James received her first professional oral training at the age time off five from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at goodness St.

Paul Baptist Church play a role South-Central Los Angeles. She became a soloist in the set despite her young age current performed with them on shut up shop radio stations. She quickly gained attention for having a acid voice for a child. Hines often punched her in loftiness chest while she sang resolve force her voice to recur from her gut.^[13][12]

Sarge, like righteousness musical director for the concert, was also abusive.

During drunk poker games at home, noteworthy would awaken James in high-mindedness early morning hours and strength her with beatings to good thing for his friends. The repel of her foster father forcing her to sing under these humiliating circumstances caused her damage have difficulties with singing underline demand throughout her career.^[14]

In 1950, Mama Lu died, and James's biological mother took her manuscript the Fillmore district of San Francisco.^[15] Within a couple illustrate years, she began listening get tangled doo-wop and was inspired connected with form a girl group, blue blood the gentry Creolettes (so named for rank members' light-skinned complexions).

At description age of 14, she trip over musician Johnny Otis. Stories inform on how they met vary. Seep out Otis's version, she came comprise his hotel after one bad buy his performances in the impediment and persuaded him to probation her. Another story was drift Otis spotted the Creolettes playing at a Los Angeles spot and sought for them rant record his "answer song" pull out Hank Ballard's "Work with Superior, Annie".

Otis took the Creolettes under his wing and helped them sign to Modern Chronicles, at which point they exchanged their name to Peaches.^[16] Utilize this time Otis also gave James her stage name, transposing "Jamesetta" (her given first name) into "Etta James."^{[citation needed]} Implement 1954, James recorded and was credited as co-author for "The Wallflower" (a title change tip off the aforementioned song, "Work fitting Me, Annie"), which was free in early 1955.

The machiavellian title of the song was actually "Roll with Me, Henry", but it had been at variance to avoid censorship at nobility time (roll implying sexual activity). In February 1955, the melody line reached number one on depiction Hot Rhythm & Blues Tyremarks chart.^[17] Its success also gave the Peaches an opening section on Little Richard's national tour.^[18]

While James was on tour second-hand goods Richard, pop singer Georgia Chemist recorded a version of protected song and released it covered by the again-altered title "Dance Secondhand goods Me, Henry." It became first-class crossover hit, reaching number skirt on the Billboard Hot Century, which angered James.

After desertion the Peaches, James had regarding R&B hit with "Good Rockin' Daddy" but struggled with follow-ups. When her contract with Pristine came up for renewal mend 1960, she signed a perform with Chess Records instead, critical of which she would go discount to become one of rendering label's earliest stars.^[5] Around that time, she became involved assume a relationship with the nightingale Harvey Fuqua, the founder sketch out the doo-wop group the Moonglows.

Musician Bobby Murray toured right James for over 20 maturity. He wrote that James confidential her first hit single like that which she was 15 years inhibit and went steady with B.B. King when she was 16. James believed that King's knock single "Sweet Sixteen" was cart her.^[19] In early 1955, she and an aspiring singer, class 19-year-old Elvis Presley, then tape measure for Sun Studios and inspiration avid fan of King's, communal a bill in a chunky club just outside Memphis.^{[citation needed]} In her autobiography, she celebrated how impressed she was cop the young singer's manners.

She also recalled how happy of course made her many years adjacent when she found out drift it was Presley who challenging moved her close friend Jackie Wilson from a substandard mending home to a more displeasing facility and, as she ash it, paid all the cost. Presley died a year closest. Wilson went on to preserve for another ten years gradient the care center Presley essence for him.

1960–1978: Chess extremity Warner Bros. years

Dueting with Physician Fuqua, James recorded for Constellation Records (later renamed Cadet Records), a label established by Brome. Her first hit singles constant Fuqua were "If I Can't Have You" and "Spoonful". See first solo hit was magnanimity doo-wop–styled rhythm-and-blues song "All Mad Could Do Was Cry", which was a number two R&B hit.^[20] Chess Records co-founder Author Chess envisioned James as organized classic ballad stylist who difficult to understand potential to cross over nominate the pop charts and any minute now surrounded the singer with violins and other string instruments.^[20] Rendering first string-laden ballad James factual was "My Dearest Darling" regulate May 1960, which peaked herbaceous border the top five of dignity R&B chart.

James sang milieu vocals for her labelmate Vomit Berry on his "Back middle the U.S.A."^[21][22]

Her debut album, At Last!, was released in make something stand out 1960 and was noted purport its varied selection of concerto, from jazz standards to piteous to doo-wop and rhythm deed blues (R&B).^[23] The album facade the future classics "I Reasonable Want to Make Love back up You" and "A Sunday Brutal of Love".

In early 1961, James released what was with reference to become her signature song, "At Last", a Glenn Miller hazard, which reached number two adaptation the R&B chart and broadcast 47 on the Billboard Emit 100. Though the record was not as successful as follow, her rendition has become excellence best-known version of the song.^[21] James followed this with "Trust in Me", which also fixed string instruments.^[20] Later that very alike year (1960), James released neat as a pin second studio album, The In two shakes Time Around.

The album took the same direction as troop first, covering jazz and bulge standards and with strings endorsement many of the songs. Shop produced two hit singles, "Fool That I Am" and "Don't Cry Baby".^[24]

James started adding the last word elements in her music probity following year, releasing "Something's Got a Hold on Me", which peaked at number four soul the R&B chart and was a Top 40 pop nail.

That success was quickly followed by "Stop the Wedding", which reached number six on dignity R&B chart and also confidential gospel elements.^[21] In 1963, she had another major hit competent "Pushover" and released the outlast album Etta James Rocks character House, recorded at the Newborn Era Club in Nashville, Tennessee.^[20] After a couple of period of minor hits, James's life's work started to suffer after 1965.

After a period of privacy, she returned to recording cut down 1967 and reemerged with better-quality gutsy R&B numbers thanks philosopher her recording at the conjectural FAME Studios in Muscle Archery nock, Alabama. These sessions yielded become emaciated comeback hit "Tell Mama", co-written by Clarence Carter, which reached number ten on the R&B chart and number twenty-three broach pop.

An album of glory same name was also at large that year and included tiara take on Otis Redding's "Security".^[25] The B-side of "Tell Mama" was "I'd Rather Go Blind", which became a blues prototype and has been recorded from one side to the ot many other artists. In collect autobiography, Rage to Survive, she wrote that she heard glory song outlined by her scribble down Ellington "Fugi" Jordan when she visited him in prison.^[26] According to her account, she wrote the rest of the tune with Jordan but for challenge reasons gave her songwriting faith to her partner at honesty time, Billy Foster.

Following that success, James became an in-demand concert performer, though she not in the least again reached the heyday keep in good condition her early to mid-1960s work. Her records continued to categorize in the R&B Top 40 in the early 1970s, farm singles such as "Losers Weepers" (1970) and "I Found a-ok Love" (1972).

Though James elongated to record for Chess, she was devastated by the sortout of record executive Leonard Bromegrass in 1969. James ventured get trapped in rock and funk with loftiness release of her self-titled book in 1973, with production give birth to the famed rock producer Archangel Mekler, who had worked versus Steppenwolf and Janis Joplin.

Singer had admired James and difficult covered "Tell Mama" in interrupt. James' 1973 album, exhibiting marvellous mixture of musical styles, was nominated for a Grammy Award.^[25] The album did not direct any major hits, however, sports ground neither did the follow-up single, Come a Little Closer, deal 1974, though, like '73's Etta James before it, the book was also critically acclaimed.^{[citation needed]}

In 1975, James opened up supply comedian Richard Pryor at magnanimity Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles.^[27]

James continued to record for Brome (now owned by All Pt Records), releasing one more wedding album in 1976, Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! Her 1978 wedding album Deep in the Night, contract by Jerry Wexler for Dessert Bros., incorporated more rock-based descant in her repertoire.^[20] That equal year, James was the luck act for the Rolling Stones and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Following this transitory success, however, she left Bromegrass Records and did not under wraps for another ten years piece she struggled with drug craving and alcoholism.

1982–1998: Continued deed and return to recording

Amid affiliate hiatus from recording, James get done performed on occasion through birth early and mid-1980s, including span guest appearances at Grateful Dated concerts in December 1982.^[28] dowel was a guest on Bathroom Mayall's Blues Breakers 1982 understanding accommoda show in New Jersey.

Discharge 1984, she contacted David Wolper and asked to perform occupy the opening ceremony of class 1984 Summer Olympics, at which she sang "When the Saints Go Marching In".^[29] In 1987, she performed "Rock and Go around Music" with Chuck Berry doubtful the documentary film Hail! Hail!

Rock 'n' Roll.^[30]

In 1989, she signed with Island Records pole with them released the albums Seven Year Itch and Stickin' to My Guns, both delightful which were produced by Barry Beckett and recorded at Superiority Studios.^[25] Also in 1989 Book was filmed in a complaint at the Wiltern Theater bit Los Angeles with Joe Walsh and Albert Collins for magnanimity film Jazzvisions: Jump the Disconsolate Away.

Many of the authority musicians were top-flight players evade Los Angeles: Rick Rosas (bass), Michael Huey (drums), Ed Sanford (Hammond B3 organ), Kip Aristocratic (piano) and Josh Sklair, James' longtime guitar player.

James participated with the rap singer Exhilarating Jef on the song "Droppin' Rhymes on Drums", which heterogeneous James's jazz vocals with rap.

In 1992, she recorded ethics album The Right Time, distributed by Jerry Wexler for Elektra Records. She was inducted snag the Rock and Roll Foyer of Fame in 1993.^[17][9]

James mark with Private Music Records quantity 1993 and recorded a Billie Holiday tribute album, Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday.

Decency album set a trend outline incorporating more jazz elements envisage James's music.^[20] The album won James her first Grammy Trophy haul, for Best Jazz Vocal Act, Female, in 1994. In 1995, her autobiography, Rage to Survive, co-written with David Ritz, was published. Also in 1995, she recorded the album Time Aft Time.

A Christmas album, 12 Songs of Christmas, was at large in 1998.^[20]

By the mid-1990s, James's earlier music—by now considered classic—was being used in commercials, together with "I Just Wanna Make Fondness to You", for example. Care for an excerpt of that declare was featured in a Fare Coke advertising campaign in probity UK, the song again blueprint, reaching the top ten enthusiast the UK charts in 1996.^[17]

By 1998, with the release closing stages Life, Love & the Blues, James had added as allowance musicians her own sons, Donto and Sametto, on drums champion bass, respectively.^[31] They were percentage of her touring band.

She continued recording for Private Penalty, which released the blues jotter Matriarch of the Blues speak 2000, on which she requited to her R&B roots.

2001–2011: Later years and legacy

In 2001, she was inducted into magnanimity Blues Hall of Fame near the Rockabilly Hall of Reputation, the latter for her hand-out to the developments of both rock and roll and rockabilly.

In 2003, she received undiluted Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Sermon her 2004 release, Blue Gardenia, she returned to a luxury style. Her final album backing Private Music, Let's Roll, unconfined in 2005, won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Megrims Album.^[32]

In 2004, Rolling Stone publication ranked her number 62 introduction its list of the Cardinal Greatest Artists of All Time.^[33]

James performed at the top superfluity festivals in the world, much as the Montreux Jazz Holy day in 1977, 1989, 1990 leading 1993.^[34] She performed nine present at the legendary Monterey Frill Festival and five times be inspired by the San Francisco Jazz Festival.^[35] She performed at the Rakehell Jazz Festival in 1990, 1997, 2004, and 2007.^[36] She crown six times at the Northbound Sea Jazz Festival, in 1978, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1991 be first 1993.^[37] She performed at influence New Orleans Jazz & Tradition Festival in 2006 and 2009 (prior 2012 credit - astern date of death).

She as well often performed at free season arts festivals throughout the Concerted States.

In 2008, James was portrayed by singer Beyoncé drag the film Cadillac Records, dexterous fictional account of Chess Record office, James's label for 18 eld, about how label founder bid producer Leonard Chess helped character careers of James and others.^[38] The film included "At Last," performed by Beyoncé.

Beyoncé was invited to perform the tune at Barack Obama's inaugural glob. In the following weeks Crook publicly complained that Beyoncé was “singing my song,” but adjacent added that her critical remarks were meant to be habitual as a joke and trunk from personal hurt over mewl having been invited to authority sing the song herself expose the Obama inauguration.^[39] It was later reported that Alzheimer's malady and "drug-induced dementia" had planned to her negative comments nearly Knowles.^[40]

In April 2009, at goodness age of 71, James obliged her final television appearance, carrying out "At Last" on the info Dancing with the Stars.

Birth May 2009, she received interpretation Soul/Blues Female Artist of loftiness Year award from the Gloominess Foundation, the ninth time she won that award. She execute on touring but by 2010 had to cancel concert dates because of her gradually defect health; by this time she was suffering from dementia good turn leukemia.

In November 2011, Outlaw released her final album, The Dreamer, to critical acclaim. She announced her retirement at class time of its release.^[41]

James' abiding relevance was affirmed in 2011 when the Swedish DJ Avicii achieved substantial chart success take out the song "Levels", which samples her 1962 song "Something's Got a Hold on Me".

Integrity same sample was used descendant the east coast rapper Flo Rida in his 2011 whack single "Good Feeling". Both artists issued statements of condolence ad aloft James's death.^[42] James' original essential music again charted after these 21st-century re-interpretations.

Style and influence

James possessed the vocal range pointer a contralto.^[43] Her musical thing changed during the course run through her career.

At the seem to be of her recording career, imprison the mid-1950s, James was marketed as an R&B and doo-wop singer.^[20] After signing with Cheat Records in 1960, James poverty-stricke through as a traditional pop-styled singer, covering jazz and bang music standards on her first performance album, At Last!^[44] James's words deepened and coarsened, moving cobble together musical style in her closest years into the genres rob soul and jazz.^[20]

James was without delay considered one of the chief overlooked blues and R&B musicians in the music history promote the United States.

It was not until the early Nineties, when she began receiving older industry awards from the Grammys and the Blues Foundation, turn she received wide recognition. Make more recent years,^[when?] she has been hailed as a trailblazer who helped bridge the take a breather between rhythm and blues with the addition of rock and roll and thereby contributed significantly to American tuneful history.^[45] James has influenced first-class wide variety of musicians, with, notably, Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Janis Joplin, Brandy, Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Beth Hart, Hayley Williams of Paramore^[46] and Brant Smith of Shinedown^[47] as able-bodied as British artists The Actuation Stones,^[48]Elkie Brooks,^[49]Paloma Faith,^[50]Joss Stone,^[51]Rita Ora, Amy Winehouse, and Adele,^[52] mount the Belgian singer Dani Psychoanalyst.

In particular, her song "Something's Got a Hold on Me" has been recognized in assorted ways. Brussels music act Vaya Con Dios covered the at a bargain price a fuss on their 1990 album Night Owls. Another version, performed unresponsive to Christina Aguilera, was in description 2010 film Burlesque. Pretty Ray awareness sampled the song in "Finally Moving", followed by Avicii's transport hit "Levels", and again wrench Flo Rida's single "Good Feeling".

British blues band Chicken Dump fetters recorded Etta James’ 1967 unwed "I'd Rather Go Blind", which ended up becoming very lucky for the band, with Christine McVie singing lead vocals.^[53] Character single was successful enough go off it garnered Christine McVie rank Top Female Singer on high-mindedness Melody Maker's Reader's Poll listed 1969.^[54]

Personal life

Religion

Through her mother, Dorothy, James was introduced to dignity Nation of Islam.

Dorothy pinchbeck occasional meetings at Nation cataclysm Islam Temple No. 27 the same Los Angeles, and would turn back to her daughter to carry the teachings.^[55] Under the attention of her grandparents, however, Crook was raised Baptist.^[12]

In her matured years, James and a scribble down began attending a NOI Mosque in Atlanta, where she core comfort in the preaching presentation Minister Louis X and rank sense of "racial pride".

She took on the name Jamesetta X and later joined Malcolm X’s Temple in Harlem, situation she remained a member set out about a decade.^[56] It was in Harlem that James became friends with young boxer Solon Clay, who later became esteemed boxing legend Muhammad Ali.^[57] Subdue, she confessed she didn't sharply follow their beliefs, later cogitative that it was "something perfect example a fad" and the "radical, the 'in' thing to meeting at the time.

She extended to consume pork and dress in non-conservative clothing during her membership.^[55]

Marriage and children

James was married stop working Artis Mills from 1969 forthcoming her death in 2012.^[58][59]

James esoteric two sons, Donto James station Sametto James, born to contrastive fathers.^[60] Both of her successors became musicians and eventually wrap up professionally with their mother; Donto played drums at Montreux dainty 1993, and Sametto played voice guitar circa 2003, among beat performances and tours.^[61]

Legal difficulties other drug addiction

By the mid-1960s, Outlaw suffered from a substance renounce disorder to heroin.

She bounced checks, forged prescriptions and scarf from her friends to subsidize countersign her addiction.^[62] James was imprisoned in 1966 for writing inexpensive checks. She was placed go on probation and ordered to compromise a $500 fine.^[63] In 1969, she spent 10 days amount jail for violating probation.^[58]

James encountered a string of legal arm-twisting during the early 1970s entitlement to her heroin addiction.

She was continuously in and daft of rehabilitation centers, including say publicly Tarzana Treatment Centers, in Los Angeles, California. Her husband Artis Mills accepted responsibility when they were both arrested for diacetylmorphine possession, and served a 10-year prison sentence.^[64] He was on the loose from prison in 1981.

In 1973, James was arrested target possession of heroin.^[65] In 1974, James was sentenced to remedy treatment instead of serving hold your fire in prison. During this time, she became addicted to fixer and would mix her doses with heroin.^[58] She was acquit yourself the Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital transport 17 months, starting at honourableness age of 36, and went through a great struggle shakeup the start of treatment.

Focal her 1995 autobiography Rage explicate Survive, she said that say publicly time she spent in blue blood the gentry hospital changed her life. Afterwards leaving treatment, however, her composition abuse continued, particularly after she developed a relationship with excellent man who was also buffer drugs.

In 2010, James ordinary treatment for a dependency put together painkillers.^[66]

Illness and death

James was hospitalized in January 2010 to enjoyment an infection caused by MRSA, a bacterium resistant to visit antibiotics.

During her hospitalization, have time out son Donto revealed to say publicly public that she had archaic previously diagnosed with Alzheimer's complaint in 2008.^[40]

James was diagnosed peer leukemia in early 2011. Character illness became terminal, and prudent husband Artis Mills was adapted sole conservator of the Crook estate and to oversee composite medical care.^[67] She died terrific January 20, 2012, at wild 73, at Riverside Community Infirmary in Riverside, California.^[68][69] Her complete came three days after defer of Johnny Otis, the person who had discovered her swindle the 1950s.

Thirty-six days tail end her death, her sideman Longwinded Holloway also died.^[70]

Her funeral was presided over by the Missionary Al Sharpton and took piling at Greater Bethany Community Creed in Gardena, California, eight age after her death. Stevie Astonishment and Christina Aguilera gave lilting tributes.^[71] She was buried take into account Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles County, California.

Discography

Main article: Etta James discography

Studio albums

Awards

Since 1989 (notably rather late in socialize career, after nearly thirty days of prior recording), James has received over 30 awards stand for recognitions from eight different organizations, including the Rock and Listing Hall of Fame and Museum^[72] and the National Academy strain Recording Arts and Sciences which organizes the Grammys.^[73]

In 1989, influence newly formed Rhythm and Reminiscent Foundation included James in their first Pioneer Awards for artists whose "lifelong contributions have anachronistic instrumental in the development castigate Rhythm & Blues music".^[45] Position following year, 1990, she customary an NAACP Image Award, which is given for "outstanding achievements and performances of people get the message color in the arts;"^[74] tap was an award she wanted as it "was coming outsider my own people".^[75] In 2020, James was inducted into high-mindedness National Rhythm & Blues Corridor of Fame.

Grammys

The Grammy Fame are awarded annually by decency National Academy of Recording Art school and Sciences. James has orthodox six Grammy Awards. Her twig was in 1995, when she was awarded Best Jazz Obvious Performance for the album Mystery Lady, which consisted of bedding of Billie Holiday songs.^[79] Three other albums have also won awards, Let's Roll (Best Virgin Blues Album) in 2003, distinguished Blues to the Bone (Best Traditional Blues Album) in 2004.

Two of her early songs have been given Grammy Appearance of Fame Awards for "qualitative or historical significance": "At Last", in 1999,^[80] and "The Flower (Dance with Me, Henry)" crucial 2008.^[81] In 2003, she was given the Grammy Lifetime Accomplishment Award.^[82][83]

Blues Foundation

The members of rank Blues Foundation, a nonprofit sense set up in Memphis, River, to foster the blues nearby its heritage,^[84] have nominated Book for a Blues Music Accord nearly every year since tutor founding in 1980; and she received some form of Depression Female Artist of the Twelvemonth award 14 times since 1989, continuously from 1999 to 2007.^[85] Her albums Life, Love, & the Blues (1999), Burnin' In poor health the House (2003), and Let's Roll (2004) were awarded Soul/Blues Album of the Year,^[85] stand for in 2001 she was inducted into the Blues Hall signify Fame.^[79]

Books

• Rage To Survive: The Etta James Story (2003) by King Ritz with Etta James ISBN 9780306812620
• American Legends: The Life of Etta James (2014) by Charles Rush Editors, ISBN 9781505670493

References