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Etta James singing jazz festival

Etta James, Raw and Outspoken

Posted on April 27, 2021June 17, 2022 by Contributing Writer

Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) is better known as Etta James. Etta James was a singer of multiple genres, including rhythm and blues, gospel, and rock and roll. Her version of “At Last” released in 1960, became one of her signature songs. Other popular singles include “All I Could Do Was Cry,” “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and “Trust In Me”. With 29 studio albums and 58 singles under her belt, Ms. James was a force to be reckoned with on and off the stage.

Etta James was born in Los Angeles, CA to a life that was not easy. Etta was born to a teen mother and an absent and unknown father. She was physically beaten by “foster parents” in order to perform and sing in a specific style. Her first single, “The Wallflower” was released in 1958. She toured with Little Richard as a minor. Afterwards, she was signed to Chess Records and recorded her first studio album, “At Last!” The album included the infamous “At Last” song still in rotation today. Chess Records was the record label based in the fictional biographical movie Cadillac Records. In the film, Etta James was portrayed by Beyonce Knowles.

Unfortunately, Etta James became addicted to heroin and cocaine in the 1960s and the 1970s. Drug abuse and addiction would continue to plague her for the rest of her life. Even so, Etta James continued to record studio and live albums. She performed at jazz festivals and toured around the world. She also toured with the Rolling Stones. In 1990, she received a NAACP Image Award. In 1993, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Etta was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2003, she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The same year, she released her autobiography Rage To Survive: The Etta James Story.

Sadly, Etta James began to experience major health problems. Etta James was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008. Also, she was hospitalized with a blood infection along with other ailments in 2010. Afterwards, Etta James was diagnosed with terminal Leukemia in 2011. As a result, Ms. James, the Matriarch of Blues succumbed to Leukemia in 2012 in the comfort of her home surrounded by her husband and children.

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