Denton soul club

THIS MONTH:::::::::Etta James R.I.P
25 Jan 1938 - 20 Jan 2012
Well what can I give you about this great singer you've not already heard,probably nothing!
She was born Jamesette Hawkins in 1935 and always claimed her father as the great pool player Minessota Fats although he said he didn't remember the past too well when she caught up with him he never denied the deed either so it remained in her mind a strong possibility.She was raised by the couple who owned the rooming house where her mother occasionally stayed and had no real roots consequently.This probably explains her attitude to life and her instability as she grew older.She had a strong religious upbringing instilled in her by Lula and Jesse Rogers entering into Church singing at an early age although as she grew up she preferred to listen to and sing a raunchier style of music.As it happens in the early '5os she was corner singing in San Francisco with a gang of friends and Johnny Otis heard her.He told her to get a note from her mother so he could record her but she forged it and turned up to record 'Roll With Me Henry' at the age of 15.She then went on the road with Otis for $10 a night gaining vast experience with the Otis stable of singers until 1959 when she signed for Chess records.Among the many songs recorded were Sunday Kind Of Love--All I Could Do Was Cry--Something's Got A Hold Of Me and the classic At Last.This was to be the song everybody calls to mind when thay hear her name but as we all know we remember her big Northern tracks such as Seven Day Fool--Breaking Point--Security--Mellow Fellow--Tell Mama and quite a few others.Her life was defined by periods of sudden popularity and then sinking into oblivion.Her idols were by and large Jazz singers and musicians,many of whom had drug and drink problems and so it was perhaps inevitable that she would fall into the old trap of trying to emulate them in the escape they often took.There were times when she managed herself and was known to phone small clubs up to ask 'Have you ever heard of Etta James'-a question you wouldn't think needed an answer but tastes change and through the utter dross of the 80's and 90's it was necessary to ask people to look back at an era where proper talent was at the forefront to get them to book her! Although she had brief episodes of resurgent success and was afforded considerable respect by her peers it was all a bit hit and miss and she stayed in the shadows after the mid70's just popping up now and then to remind us of her prodigous vocal talent.
All this time her health was deteriorating,there was the drug Problem and also her weight,at one time she was performing from a wheelchair as she was so heavy and she was able to lose 200lbs so must have been really suffering beforehand! In the latter years she found a fresh audience and started to retour and record but in 2011 she had to put an end to it as her health declined even further. During the last year she has been virtually housebound suffering from dementia,leukemia and kidney problems and her race was run on 20th Jan...a great vocalist and an extraordinary performer who like her great heroine Billie Holiday sang every bit of feeling into every piece of vinyl that bears her name........she'll be sadly missed...Pete.