Etta James
Wikimp3 information about the music of Etta James. On our website we have 70 albums and 70 collections of artist Etta James. You can find useful information and download songs of this artist. We also know that Etta James represents Soul genres.
Biography
[Edit]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.
Title: Tell Mama The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions (Remastered Reissue)
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Blues
Title: The Absolutely Essential 3 Cd Collection (CD1)
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Blues, Classical
Title: The Essential (CD1)
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: The Heart and Soul of Etta James
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Gospel, Classical
Title: The Inspirational Collection
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: The Millenium Collection
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: The Very Best Of Etta James: The Chess Singles (CD2)
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: The Very Best Of Etta James: The Chess Singles (CD3)
Artist: Etta James
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues
Collections
Title: The Chess Story 1947-1975 (CD13)
Genre: Blues
Title: Jazz Club Specials
Genre: Jazz
Title: Simply Rock 'n' Roll (CD2)
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll
Title: Simply Rock 'n' Roll (CD3)
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll
Title: Jazz Vocalists - Verve 50
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Soul Music Hits The Charts (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Soul Music Hits The Charts (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Love Collection: 45 Memorable Romantic Song
Genre: Jazz, Nu Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Northern Soul All Nighter (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Funk
Title: The R&B Singles Collection, Volume 1
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B
Title: The Cool Concept " Female Singers "
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Sisters With Voices, Vol. 2
Genre: Jazz
Title: Devoted To You (CD2)
Genre: Rock, Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: Heart Beats - Sirens Of Song: Classic Torch Singers
Genre: Jazz
Title: Phapsody Jazz (CD1)
Title: Daily Mirror - Lazy Days
Title: Kampen Grooves - Vol. 6
Title: Soul Party Sessions (CD1)
Title: The Road To Soul - 55 Tracks Ushered In The Soul (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues
Title: What A Wonderful World - Jazz Romance
Genre: Jazz
Title: Best Of Jazz By Jazz Radio (CD1)
Genre: Soul, Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Jazzy And Classy - Hi Fi Luxury
Genre: Jazz
Title: Best Vocal Jazz Of All Time
Genre: Jazz
Title: Let Me... West Coast (CD 3)
Genre: Blues
Title: Jazz Divas - The Very Best Of
Genre: Vocal Jazz
Title: Cool Jazz Summer Hits
Genre: Jazz
Title: 50 Essential Jazz Vocal Standards (CD1)
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Jazz Romance
Genre: Jazz
Title: Compilation Greatest Soul Divas (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Jazz
Title: Compilation Greatest Soul Divas (CD2)
Genre: Soul
Title: Compilation Greatest Soul Divas (CD1)
Genre: Soul
Title: Get On The Right Track: Mod R&B, Jazz & Ska (CD3)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Get On The Right Track: Mod R&B, Jazz & Ska (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: I Just Love Soul Music (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Blues, Jazz, Pop
Title: Unforgettable - 40 Classic Songs
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Pop
Title: The Rock 'N' Roll Era - Collection 1954 Al 1955
Genre: Rock & Roll
Title: Their Greatest Misses (CD1)
Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Pop
Title: Such A Much
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Pop
Title: Sweet Soul Music 1962
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Gospel, Funk
Title: Sweet Soul Music 1963
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Gospel, Funk
Title: Electro Blues Vol. 2 (CD2)
Genre: Electronica, Industrial, Electro, Dancefloor, Synth Pop, EBM
Title: Chess Soul - A Decade Of Chicago's Finest (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: All Night Long - The Crown Records Story (CD1)
Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Pop
Title: All Night Long - The Crown Records Story (CD2)
Genre: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, Pop
Title: True Love Ways (CD2)
Title: Time Blues (Blues Collection Vol. 14)
Genre: Blues, Blues Rock
Title: Best Blues Album In The World... Ever (CD2)
Genre: Blues
Title: Magnificent Jazz! (CD1)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Magnificent Jazz! (CD2)
Genre: Jazz
Title: Beat Of The Pops Vol. 28
Genre: Rock & Roll, Pop
Title: The Modern Records Story
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Blues
Title: Most Wanted 60s R&B
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Blues
Title: Fifties Girls (CD1)
Title: Fifties Girls (CD3)
Title: Autour De Minuit # 02 (CD2)
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Title: Soul Sounds Of The 60's (CD2)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Pop
Title: Soul Collection (50 Classici Soul)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Pop, Funk
Title: I Put A Spell On You - Mesmerising Jazz
Genre: Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Title: RnB 101 All Time Greats (CD1)
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Blues, Funk
Featuring albums
Title: Pleasantville (Music from the Motion Picture)
Artist: Pleasantville & Various Artists
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: DJ-Kicks
Artist: Hot Chip
Genre: Ambient, Electronica, House, Techno, Hip Hop/R&B, Rap, Dancefloor, Dance Pop
Title: Best of Rock 'n' Roll Music - 100 Greatest Originals Hits from the 50s & 60s
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Rock
Title: Muscle Shoals Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Rain Man / Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Pleasantville -Music From The Motion Picture
Artist: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Genre: Pop
Title: Broken Hearted - A Collection of the World's Best Heartbreakers
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Rap
Title: The Smoky Bar Blues Club, Pt. 2 (Blues from a Smoky Bar)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Blues
Title: Back to the Future (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Queer As Folk: Second Season (Music from the Original Series)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: Karaoke - Singing to the Hits: Sweet Soulful 60's (Rerecorded Version)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul
Title: Karaoke: Gold - Singing to the Hits (Rerecorded Version)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Rock
Title: Rain Man (Soundtrack)
Artist: Hans Zimmer
Genre: Rock, Country, Pop Rock, Synth Pop, Theatre/Soundtrack
Title: 80 From America. 80 Classic American Tracks (CD3)
Artist: Universal Music
Title: Soul Sisters: The Very Best Of Female Soul Singers
Artist: Jessie Ware
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Soul, Disco, Funk
Title: When Cool Was King (CD1)
Artist: Ministry Of Sound
Genre: Hip Hop/R&B, Blues, Crossover Jazz, Vocal Jazz