Etta James

Play Radio
Listen to Etta James Radio, featuring artists like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and more…

6,030,636 plays (652,949 listeners)

Shop now at Amazon | Send Etta James Ringtones to Cell
More options
Add to my Library
Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, died January 20, 2012) was an American blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll and jazz singer and songwriter. She is the winner of four Grammys, seventeen Blues Music Awards, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (in 1993), the Blues Hall of Fame (in 2001), and the Grammy Hall of Fame (in both 1999 and 2008). Having her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer in the 1950s and 60s, she is best known for her 1961 ballad “At Last”, classified as a “timeless classic” and which has featured in many movies and television commercials.

Biography

Early life and career
Jamesetta was born in Los Angeles, California to an unmarried 14-year-old African-American mother, Dorothy Hawkins. According to Etta, her mother claimed that her father was the white Rudolph “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone, and that they received financial support from him on the condition that they keep his paternity a secret. This seems unlikely, though it has not been definitively disproved. Etta was born in Los Angeles in 1938. At the time, Wanderone was known to be managing a pool hall in Washington, D.C. and had not yet become known to be the cross-country traveller he later became.

She received her first professional vocal training at the age of five years old from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at St. Paul Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Etta’s family moved to San Francisco in 1950 and she teamed up with two other girls to form a Doo-wop singing group.
Read more… Edit

Popular tags: blues, jazz, soul, female vocalists, rhythm and blues  See more

Shouts: 774 shouts

Share this artist:

Top Albums

See more

Top Tracks

1
3,986
2
1,952
3
1,519
4
1,292
5
1,167
6
1,067
7
1,032
8
962
9  
958
10
845
11
789
12
692
13
589
14
540
15
535
Buy all tracks at Amazon MP3
See more

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).

  • KingsAndQueen

    Her version of Born Under a Bad Sign is great. RIP, Etta.

    Sunday evening

  • blackshewolf

    I miss you Etta♥

    last week

  • I_See_sound

    When I was younger, my mom and I ran into Etta James once at a Lamps Plus store in Riverside Ca. Her words of choice could make a sailor blush, though.

    last week

  • gendervariant

    Bonnie Raitt did a wonderful job, but Alicia's vocals hasn't been good since "Diary of Alicia Keys". I would love to hear Buddy Guy, B.B. King, The Beatles, Aretha, Patti LaBelle, Ledisi, Diana Krall, Lalah Hathaway, Kim Burrell etc. give proper tributes to her. She truly deserves it.

    last week

  • -miyo-

    Unfortunately, one of the last big voices of us has gone, rest to peace Etta. Miss you so much

    11 days ago

  • gendervariant

    Who approved Alicia Keys to do a tribute for Etta James? They need to be fired immediately.

    12 days ago

  • BluesAtSix

    Unfortunately, one of the last big voices of us has gone, rest to peace Etta. Miss you so mutch

    17 days ago

  • sztokholm

    [*] amazing person sings in heaven now ♥

    20 days ago

  • paquisapaquisa

    RIP

    22 days ago

  • Skoteh

    RIP, she changed the world forever and will never be forgotten ♥

    23 days ago

  • imuptonogood

    R.I.P Truly amazing.

    23 days ago

  • F-fantazy

    RIP, Ms Etta. You gave a start for a whole new era, and it'll definitely last forever

    last month

  • isa_ilyasa

    RIP Etta James

    last month

  • miissweet

    RIP

    last month

  • miissweet

    RIP

    last month

  • shane6973

    we miss you rip ! http://on.fb.me/w7OiBQ

    last month

  • Chrissanna

    Ms Etta, you gave us so much. We give you our love, our gratitude. You are unforgettable. <3

    last month

  • Hasanayn93

    Rest peacefully, Etta. [2]

    last month

  • captainmandarin

    RIP Etta :(

    last month

  • FlyGordi

    Rip blues queen

    last month
See all 774 shouts

Videos

See more

News

From The Heart Series Featuring Etta James

15 Jan 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/ettajames

As the icy chill of winter settles in, thoughts turn to warmer times, and the sensuous prospects of Valentine’s Day around the corner.  It’s a time that has always enjoyed its own …

Add comment

See more

Listening Now

Top Listeners

See more

Recent Activity

Related Journals

See more

Groups (107)

See more

More Information

Links
Labels

Email Newsletter

Universal Music Group Get exclusive tour, release & promotion updates on Etta James from Universal Music.

“Gotta Lotta Last.fm.”

More Last.fm Sites: Blog | Music Manager | Build | Playground (Subscriber VIP zone) | Best of 2011

© 2012 Last.fm Ltd. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | Updated Feb 11, 2009
Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Text may also be available under the GNU Free Documentation License.