Etta James' Jazz Rendition of "At Last" (1505 hits)
January 25th *Etta James was born on this date in 1938. She is an African-American singer. She was born Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles. She received her first professional vocal training at the age of 5, from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at St. Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Though brought up in the place of worship, she was drawn to rhythm & blues and rock and roll. Her family moved north to San Francisco in 1950, and in 1952 the trio (the Creolettes) she had formed with two of her friends came to the attention of Johnny Otis. Otis reversed the syllables of her first name to give her her stage name and began recording her.
Her first record (1954) was her own composition, "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)," an answer song to Hank Ballard's "Work with Me, Annie." She briefly recorded as Etta James & the Peaches, releasing several hits before signing to Chess Records in 1960.James released several duets with Harvey Fuqua (of The Moonglows) that became major R&B hits, as well as her signature classic "At Last". In 1967, James recorded "Tell Mama" and "I'd Rather Go Blind", with "At Last" perhaps her most enduring songs, in Muscle Shoals.
She won the Grammy for best jazz vocal in 1994 for her CD Mystery Lady, a collection of songs associated with Billie Holliday, and in 2003 she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One year later James won the Grammy for best contemporary blues album with Let's Roll. She is also known for the Muddy Waters song "I Just Wanna Make Love To You". Drug-related and romantic problems interfered with her career, but James has managed to endure. Through the latter half of the 20th century she was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame.
Reference: All Media Guide 1168 Oak Valley Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48108 USA
ACSAP Biographical Dictionary R. R. Bowker Co., Copyright 1980 ISBN 0-8351-1283-1
