Etta James was born 84 years ago today.
James’ singing style spanned the blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. She bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll.
Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "Roll With Me, Henry," "At Last," "Tell Mama," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and "I'd Rather Go Blind," for which she wrote the lyrics.
Born in Los Angeles to Dorothy Hawkins, who was 14 at the time, James’ father has never been identified. She speculated that she was the daughter of pool player Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, whom she met briefly in 1987.
Her mother was frequently absent from their apartment in Watts, conducting relationships with various men, and Jamesetta lived with a series of foster parents. James referred to her mother as "the Mystery Lady.”
James received her first professional vocal training at the age of five from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at the St. Paul Baptist Church, in south-central Los Angeles.
Under his tutelage, she suffered physical abuse during her formative years, with her instructor often punching her in the chest while she sang to force her voice to come from her gut. As a consequence, she developed an unusually strong voice for a child her age.
Thoughout her life, she faced a number of personal problems, including drug addiction, before making a musical resurgence in the late 1980s with the album, The Seven Year Itch.
James was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2011. The illness became terminal and she died on January 20, 2012, just five days before her 74th birthday, at Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, California.
Her death came three days after that of Johnny Otis, the man who discovered her in the 1950s. Additionally, just 36 days after her death, her sideman Red Holloway also died.
Here, James performs “I’d Rather Go Blind (Blind Girl)” with Dr. John, 1987
Etta James performs with Chuck Berry