At the age of five Etta James was singing gospel in her church choir and by her early teens she was drawn into the sounds of R&B. Her first hit was ‘The Wallflower’ for the Modern Records in 1955. An answer song to Hank Ballard’s ‘Work With Me Annie’, James wrote the song with bandleader and fellow Hall of Fame inductee Johnny Otis. She continued to record hits for the Modern, Argo and Cadet labels throughout the 1960’s. From ‘At Last’ and ‘All I Could Do Was Cry’ to ‘Something’s Got A Hold On Me’ and ‘I’d Rather Go Blind, Etta transformed songs into timeless classics. Her battle with drugs became a focal point during the teen years of her career but as a testament to Etta’s talent and personal fortitude she returned to recording and performing in 1973. James is heralded as a purveyor of great music as she has embraced songs from different styles and molded them into her own. A journey through the music of Etta James’ career declares her as a great translator of music and emotion. Suggested listening: Etta James – The Chess Box (MCA-Chess 088 112 288 2)
