Etta James
Etta James
Etta Jameswas an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, including drug addiction, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBlues Singer
Date of Birth25 January 1938
CityLos Angeles, CA
CountryUnited States of America
I don't care who's playing. Even if it's my favorite artist, I'm probably not gonna go and see him.
I like to shop, but I don't like to go out to dances.
I'm not a braggart, but when I was a little girl people used to come from all over Hollywood to hear me sing.
Now I can stand up on the stage again like I used to after five years of sitting down while I sang.
They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.
A few years ago, I thought, I'll never make it. I started to go to the doctor to help me lose weight.
When Malcolm X was assassinated I was working at the Apollo. They brought his body to the Unity Funeral Home, which was around the corner.
Long as I was riding in a big Cadillac and dressed nice and had plenty of food, that's all I cared about.
I'm not starry eyed, and I'm not money crazy.
It's the same thing now. When I go onstage the young people scream and holler as much as the older generation.
I talked to the record company about what I had in mind. They said they wanted something lush. I figured the best thing to do was let them hear what I had in mind.
I was a sloppy kid, wanted to be just wild.
Most of the songs I sing, they have that blue feeling to it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about.
The only time that I am really truly happy - when I feel at my best - is when I'm on the stage.