Questions
What was Etta James’s real name?
She was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California.
How did she get the stage name Etta James?
Bandleader Johnny Otis created it by transposing her first name Jamesetta into Etta James when she signed to Modern Records in 1954.
How was she discovered?
At age 14 she met musician Johnny Otis, who helped her girl group sign to Modern Records and launched her career.
What was her first big hit?
Her 1954 recording The Wallflower reached number one on the R&B chart in February 1955. It was an answer song to Hank Ballard’s track and was originally titled Roll with Me, Henry before being retitled to avoid censorship.
Why was she angry about the song Dance With Me, Henry?
Pop singer Georgia Gibbs recorded a cover of The Wallflower released as Dance With Me, Henry that became a bigger crossover pop hit, which reportedly angered James.
What is her most famous song?
At Last, released in 1961, became her signature song. It was originally a Glenn Miller tune, and her version reached number two on the R&B chart.
What were her other major hits?
Something’s Got a Hold on Me (1962), Tell Mama (1967), and I’d Rather Go Blind (1967) all helped cement her legendary status.
Did she really get harsh vocal training as a kid?
Reportedly, at age five she was trained by James Earle Hines at St. Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles, who would punch her in the chest while she sang to force her voice to come from her gut.
What was the group the Peaches?
Her early girl group was first called the Creolettes, then renamed the Peaches after she signed to Modern Records.
Did her family play in her band?
Yes, both of her sons became professional musicians and performed with her, Donto James on drums and Sametto James on bass.
What awards and honors did she receive?
She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, took home three competitive Grammys, and At Last entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
How did her music reach a new generation?
In 2011 both Avicii’s Levels and Flo Rida’s Good Feeling sampled her 1962 song Something’s Got a Hold on Me, introducing her to younger listeners.
Who played her in a movie?
Beyoncé portrayed James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records. James publicly criticized a Beyoncé performance of At Last but later said her critical remarks were meant as a joke.
Is it true she thought a famous pool player might be her father?
Reportedly, James speculated that pool player Rudolf Minnesota Fats Wanderone was her biological father, though her father was never identified.
When did Etta James die?
She died on January 20, 2012, at age 73 in Riverside, California. Artists including Janis Joplin, Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, and Adele have cited her as an influence.
