etta james

Etta James performing in 1990 Background information Birth name Jamesetta Hawkins Also known as Miss Peaches Born January 25, 1938 (1938-01-25) (age 71) Origin Los Angeles, California, US Genre(s) Blues, R&B, Rock & Roll, Jazz, Soul Occupation(s) singer-songwriter Instrument(s) Vocals, Guitar Voice type(s) Contralto[1]. Years active 1954 – present Label(s) Modern

Chess

Argo

Crown

Cadet

Island

Private Music

RCA Associated acts Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Otis, Sugar Pie DeSanto Website Official Website

Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938) is an American blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, gospel and jazz singer and songwriter. James is the winner of four Grammys and seventeen Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame both in 1999 and 2008.[2] In the 1950s and 60s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer. She is best known for performing "At Last", which has been featured in many movies, television shows, commercials, and web-streaming services since its release. James has a contralto vocal range.[1] Contents [hide] 1 Early life 1.1 Discovery 2 Music career 2.1 Early success: 1955 – 1959 2.2 Breakthrough and the Chess years: 1960 – 1978 2.3 Later career: 1988 – 1999 2.4 The Modern era: 2000 – present 3 Musicianship 3.1 Musical style 3.2 Influence 4 Personal life 4.1 Substance abuse 4.2 Obesity and weight loss 5 Awards 5.1 Grammy history 5.2 The Blues Foundation Awards 5.3 Other awards 6 Discography 7 See also 8 References 9 External links //

Early life

Jamesetta Hawkins was born in Los Angeles, California, to an unmarried 14-year-old African-American, Dorothy Hawkins. She claimed that her mother told her that her father was pool player Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, who was Caucasian, and that they received financial support from him on the condition that they keep his paternity a secret. However, James was born (not conceived?) in Los Angeles at a time when Wanderone was known to be managing a pool hall in Washington, D.C.

She 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 Los Angeles.

James's family moved to San Francisco in 1950, and James soon teamed up with two other girls to form a doo-wop singing group. When the girls were 14 years old, band leader Johnny Otis had them audition; they sang an answer to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie," called "Roll With Me Henry." Otis particularly liked the song and, without her mother's permission, James and the duo went to Los Angeles to record it, in 1954. The song was recorded under the Modern Records label. By this time, the trio had renamed the song "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)." It was released in 1955. James named her vocal group "The Peaches." Richard Berry, a Los Angeles doo-wop luminary, is featured