Etta James

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Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938) is 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.

Tagged as:

blues, jazz, soul, female vocalists, rhythm and blues
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At Last
Etta James
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Her Best
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Burnin' Down The House
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At Last!
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Top Tracks

1	At Last full track	2,134
2	I'd Rather Go Blind full track	973
3	I Just Want To Make Love To You full track	519
4	A Sunday Kind Of Love full track	493
5	Tell Mama full track	466
6	Something's Got A Hold On Me full track	431
7	Trust In Me full track	420
8	My Dearest Darling full track	378
9	Stormy Weather full track	294
10	All I Could Do Is Cry	290
11	All I Could Do Was Cry full track	272
12	Merry Christmas Baby full track	242
13	I Just Wanna Make Love to You	227
14	White Christmas full track	207
15	Pushover full track	205

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deviantpsyche wrote:
Friday morning

just got this Artist's ringtones at www.itsflycell.com. At Last is my favorite! love it.

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Katisdope wrote:
last week

i want a sundayy kindof love(=

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kriovelgrem wrote:
last week

she sings so so good... and the way she's performing "i believe i can fly" makes me cry, its really beautul. damn! what a voice! :)

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redevil1987 wrote:
last week

the greatest

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LauraM2009 wrote:
11 days ago

xxx

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MissClarck wrote:
14 days ago

Hi, I just want to present you the band call Bantunani with their afrogroove and strong lyrics you will just be touched by such strengh http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Bantunani Support them around you 'cause they are very engaged for a New world with a new Africa. Listen to the song BlackNinja. Regards, Miss,

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tom_xd wrote:
last month

at last <3

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yarrhanna wrote:
last month

best female voice ever

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Batiste369 wrote:
last month

Truly one of the best Soul artists to ever be, She's on par with Gladys, Aretha & Patti IMO

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Avalorn wrote:
September 2009

goddess

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Krumbumbes wrote:
September 2009

Two Sides To Every Story - -> diamond in jazz

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humberto2 wrote:
August 2009

beatiful

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Laro20 wrote:
August 2009

timeless [3]

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Murdis wrote:
August 2009

i really really really love her.. she's something special to me.

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Batiste369 wrote:
August 2009

I just discovered this woman. Amazing Voice!

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Wunder_bred wrote:
July 2009

She just canceled her West Coast tour due to illness...I hope she's alright!

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Saveall wrote:
June 2009

Love the new pic...classic!

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jmdjbc1 wrote:
June 2009

I WILL ALWAYS HOLD THIS SONG YOU SAID WAS FOR ME CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE AT LAST WE HAVE A 2ND CHANCE TO BE TOGETHER AFTER 17 YEARS APART. I STILL LOVE YOU AS YOU LOVED ME 17 YEARS AGO. 1-4-3 - 4-EVER MY LOVE, LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY FOR YOU ALWAYS, LOVE JULIA

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mrm86 wrote:
May 2009

♫ !!

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panQ wrote:
May 2009

I added some photos of Etta..

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