This brought her to yet another audience. It was, instead, the wailing Good Rockin Daddy, co-written by Richard Berry (who can be heard singing counterpoint on Roll With Me Henry) and Joe Bihari (who, with his brother Jules, owned Modern Records) that earned James her second major hit. [55] James was arrested in 1966 for writing bad checks. Waters, recorded one day in the field by Alan Lomax (Tony Bentley), reckons he's got a future in the Big City and treads the tracks till he reaches Chicago. James' enduring relevance was affirmed in 2011 when the late Swedish DJ Avicii achieved substantial chart success with the song "Levels", which samples her 1962 song "Something's Got a Hold on Me". In 2001, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the latter for her contributions to the developments of both rock and roll and rockabilly. Here's one interesting reviews of this flick: Cadillac Records chronicles the success of Chess Records owned by shrewd business man Leonard Chess and the rise and fall of its Negro blues recording artists with race, sex, violence and drugs as the backdrop. Leonard Chess, decided James would . and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch. "[8], James was born on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to Dorothy Hawkins, who was 14 at the time. He also takes issue with the onscreen love affair between Leonard and Etta James. Its also an opportunity to mention her friend and co-writer, the far less famous Ellington Fugi Jordan. Revetta passed away in 1983, at age 64 in California, United States of America. Thanks for the share.. These sessions yielded her comeback hit "Tell Mama", co-written by Clarence Carter, which reached number ten on the R&B chart and number twenty-three for pop. The blues in Chicago: Cadillac Records - World Socialist Web Site When her contract with Modern came up for renewal in 1960, she signed a contract with Chess Records instead, with which she would go on to become one of the label's earliest stars. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. [19] Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess envisioned James as a classic ballad stylist who had potential to cross over to the pop charts and soon surrounded the singer with violins and other string instruments. Shescored a surprising (and sole) UK top 10 hit in 1996 when her threatening reading of I Just Want to Make Love to You became the soundtrack to a Diet Coke advertisement. Hail! Etta James, who has died at the age of of 73, had a rich, contralto voice that breathed life into a host of musical genres, from blues to jazz, R&B to soul. Id Rather Go Blind (also, as it happens, sung by Beyonc, when she played Etta James in the film Cadillac Records) was reportedly begun by Ellington Fugi Jordan, a friend of Jamess, when he was in Chino Prison for robbery, and then completed by James later. After leaving the Peaches, James had another R&B hit with "Good Rockin' Daddy" but struggled with follow-ups. On October 16, 1969, a few months after selling his namesake label to General Recorded Tape, Leonard Chess died of a heart attack. Otis took the Creolettes under his wing and helped them sign to Modern Records, at which point they changed their name to Peaches. 4 When did Etta James move to Los Angeles? Violence andsubstance abuse were now constants in James's life and she would maintain a difficult, combative relationship with her mother across many decades. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. For all its copious flaws, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story perfectly nailed the trajectory of every single rockudrama that has tarnished a legend's legendthe big bang turned sad whimper. I will make certain to bookmark your blog and will often come back That success was quickly followed by "Stop the Wedding", which reached number six on the R&B chart and also had gospel elements. The Chess brothers moved the company away from black pop and jazz and other genres into down home blues music with artists such as Muddy Waters. Eventually, the two men meetduring a never-happened brawl at the Macomba, instigated by hell-raising harp player Little Walter (Columbus Short)and form a partnership, then a friendship. Here her powerhouse contralto voice was matched with the sumptuous, bluesy string arrangements of Riley Hampton, and James truly came into her own as a singer. In October 1969, Leonard Chess died and by 1972, the only part of Chess Records still operating in Chicago was the recording studio, Ter-Mar Studios. What characteristics allow plants to survive in the desert? [12], James frequently performed in Nashville's famed R&B clubs on the so-called "Chitlin' Circuit" in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.[13]. Music industry historian John Broven has written that "Leonard Chess was the dynamo behind Chess Records, the label that, along with Atlantic and Sun, has come to epitomize the independent record business. DMCA, General Contact Adrien Brody portrays Leonard Chess, left, and Jeffrey Wright portrays Muddy Waters in a scene from "Cadillac Records." (Courtesy of Sony TriStar) "Cadillac Records" is a story . In 1941, he married Revetta Sloan who was also Jewish; they had three children: son Marshall, daughter Pam, and another son Kevin. Less than a year after selling their label, Leonard Chess was dead. 'Cadillac Records' takes gross liberties with Chess' tale Among the women on that list, only Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner ranked higher. Indeed, hurt, anger and self-destructive behaviour boiled beneath the surface of her vocals. Dueting with Harvey Fuqua, James recorded for Argo Records (later renamed Cadet Records), a label established by Chess. The Hollywood Blues: "Cadillac Records" | Vanity Fair (Muddy Waters' first trip to the UK was in 1958, not 1967; it is also unlikely that Leonard Chess and Etta James had a love affair. But as early as 1954, James was, under the guidance of Johnny Otis, pivotal among the artists erecting musical signposts for Elvis, Jerry Lee and others who would follow. Martin tells the story elliptically with the occasional bold proclamation ("I don't know what the fuck it is," Chess says of Waters' music, "but I'm recording it!") A Toast to 2018, the Year Movies Roared Back. [56] In 1969, she spent 10 days in jail for violating probation.[51]. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California on January 25, 1938; her mother was just 14 years old at the time, and she never knew her father, though she would later say she. But you always knew that Read More Kelly Sill, Several years ago, one of Danilo Prezs students was suffering from tendinitis. James became a natural replacement for Joplin after the latter's death in 1970. Artist(s) that make her freak out as a music fan: Sheila E., Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Quincy Jones. Teamed with Joplin's collaborator Gabriel Meckler in 1973, James began to record rock songs: mauling the Eagles, slugging Randy Newman. Also along for the ride are Chess' and Waters' women, Revetta (Entourage's Emmanuelle Chriqui) and Geneva (Gabrielle Union), respectively, who do little other than quietly frown and tolerate their husbands' myriad dalliances. It does not store any personal data. Leonard Chess played bass drum on one of Muddy Waters' sessions in 1951, specifically on the tracks "She Moves Me" and "Still A Fool".[8]. It never happened. He even asked James, a longtime friend, and she told him, He kissed me on the cheek once.. [60] She died on January 20, 2012, five days before her 74th birthday, at Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, California. [3] He was buried at Westlawn Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois. Etta James, who has died aged 73 after suffering from leukaemia, was among the most critically acclaimed and influential female singers of the past 50 years, even if she never achieved huge popular success. In 1950, Mama Lu died, and James's biological mother took her to the Fillmore district of San Francisco. Following this brief success, however, she left Chess Records and did not record for another ten years while she struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism. James was raised by friends and relatives instead of her mother through most of . All rights reserved. [7] In 1950, the Chess brothers renamed the company Chess Records. He was the co-founder of the legendary Chess Records label, which was responsible for signing and starting the careers of some of music's biggest stars. Phil Chess, Co-Founder Of Chess Records, Dies At 95 : NPR Privacy Policy down the road. Etta James - Every Syllable She Sings Resonates The Blues | uDiscover Born in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938, Etta James was a gospel prodigy. Roll With Me Henry was retitled The Wallflower Modern Records decided the original title was too explicit and Otis renamed his protege Etta James. James ventured into rock and funk with the release of her self-titled album in 1973, with production from the famed rock producer Gabriel Mekler, who had worked with Steppenwolf and Janis Joplin. The movie is certainly being marketed as a Chess tell-all; the soundtrack, due December 5, counts among its offerings Chess standards recut by the film's actors, including Jeffrey Wright's woefully slight version of Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man"; Mos Def's coy, sly take on Chuck Berry's "No Particular Place to Go"; and three tracks by Beyonc Knowles, whose purr never comes close to approximating Etta James' growl. Leonard Chess set new standards for the industry in artist development, deal making, networking, and marketing and promotion"[12] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, posthumously, in the non-performer category.[13]. Another story was that Otis spotted the Creolettes performing at a Los Angeles nightclub and sought for them to record his "answer song" to Hank Ballard's "Work with Me, Annie". Etta James: The Essential Modern Records Collection (Virgin/EMI) includes 15 tracks spanning 1954-57. Also included are her near-orgiastic reading of Lieber and Stollers Tears of Joy and the sunny Come What May, which finds James is a slightly mellower groove, presaging her Chess work that commenced just a couple of years later. He was influential in the development of electric blues, Chicago blues, and rock and roll . The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. [73] In 2003, she was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival in 1990, 1997, 2004, and 2007. Born in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938, Etta James was a gospel prodigy. Slate is published by The Slate So in conclusion, when I think of an artist whos invested 58 years in writing and singing songs that come from the real chapters of her life, it seems only fitting that she have the honor of a real depiction. In the early 1960s, Chess became involved in the broadcasting business as part owner of WVON-AM radio and later acquired WSDM-FM, both in Chicago. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Thank you for saying what I have been thinking for years. [19] The first string-laden ballad James recorded was "My Dearest Darling" in May 1960, which peaked in the top five of the R&B chart. James participated with the rap singer Def Jef on the song "Droppin' Rhymes on Drums", which mixed James's jazz vocals with hip-hop. At the age of 14, she met musician Johnny Otis. In fact, as truly great as that song is, James recorded another that was even betterand its one she co-wrote, although, for tax reasons, she gave songwriting credit to her then boyfriend. [35] She performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2006 and 2009 (prior 2012 credit - after date of death). James encountered a string of legal problems during the early 1970s due to her heroin addiction. Money matters: Though Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) . About Us Read More Joe Williams: Beyond the Blues, As a JazzTimes writer, I can talk about the powers of a dynamic drummer until Im blue in the face: the weight of each tom-toms Read More Chops: What Bassists Listen for in Drummers, America's jazz resource, delivered to your inbox. Her 1978 album Deep in the Night, produced by Jerry Wexler for Warner Bros., incorporated more rock-based music in her repertoire. Meet the Team After leaving treatment, however, her substance abuse continued, particularly after she developed a relationship with a man who was also using drugs. Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Chess Records began after Phil and Leonard acquired full ownership of Chicago-based Aristocrat Records in 1950, Leonard having bought an initial share in it in 1947. Etta was definitely one of the greats! Fabrications in the name of movie myth-making are, of course, to be expected from a genre that demands condensing lives into a handful of Defining Episodes; all biopics reduce and trivialize. Etta James (Jamesetta Mills), singer, born 25 January 1938; died 20 January 2012, Blues and soul singer with a raw, emotional vocal style, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. When did Etta James change her name to Peaches? While Etta wondered much about the true identity of her father, most of her issues of rejection and insecurity stemmed from her mother, Dorothy, a single teenage mother who traveled in and out of Ettas life like a bad storm. [4] Around this time, she became involved in a relationship with the singer Harvey Fuqua, the founder of the doo-wop group the Moonglows. About Etta James Her records continued to chart in the R&B Top 40 in the early 1970s, with singles such as "Losers Weepers" (1970) and "I Found a Love" (1972). In 1954, she moved to Los Angeles to record The Wallflower. Her career had begun to soar by 1960, due in no small part to songs like Id Rather Go Blind and At Last.. It was not until the early 1990s, when she began receiving major industry awards from the Grammys and the Blues Foundation, that she received wide recognition. Though James continued to record for Chess, she was devastated by the death of record executive Leonard Chess in 1969. "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is a song by American singer Etta James. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. James continued to perform on occasion in the early 1980s, including two guest appearances at Grateful Dead concerts in December 1982. Unfortunately, his role and importance wasnt highlighted in the script of Cadillac Records. James knew Malcolm X and was a member of the Nation of Islam for around 10 years, taking the name Jamesetta X. So it is. Leonard and his brother Phil became involved in the black nightclub scene on the South Side of Chicago in 1938 running a series of jazz clubs, culminating in the Macomba Lounge. [19] The album won James her first Grammy Award, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female, in 1994. Many of the backing musicians were top-flight players from Los Angeles: Rick Rosas (bass), Michael Huey (drums), Ed Sanford (Hammond B3 organ), Kip Noble (piano) and Josh Sklair, James' longtime guitar player. James' 1973 album, exhibiting a mixture of musical styles, was nominated for a Grammy Award. And listening to it today seems a fitting, if inadequate, tribute to Etta James. It opens with James rather notorious Roll With Me Henry, recorded when she was just 16. Janis Joplin modelled her singing closely on James and covered Tell Mama. [53] Both were musicians and eventually performed professionally with their mother; Donto played drums at Montreux in 1993, and Sametto played bass guitar circa 2003, among other performances and tours. In 1989, the newly formed Rhythm and Blues Foundation included James in their first Pioneer Awards for artists whose "lifelong contributions have been instrumental in the development of Rhythm & Blues music". she has been hailed as a pioneer who helped bridge the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll and thereby contributed significantly to American musical history. Thank you, Wayne. [51] She was in the Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital for 17 months, starting at the age of 36, and went through a great struggle at the start of treatment. James performed at the top jazz festivals in the world, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1977, 1989, 1990 and 1993. She announced that this would be her final album. Under GRT and All Platinum In 1969, the Chess brothers sold the label to General Recorded Tape (GRT) for $6.5 million. He is portrayed by Rob Morrow on CMT's drama series titled Sun Records. Phillips supplied Chess with recordings by Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas, and Doctor Ross among others. Still, the parade of famous faces playing famous faces overstuffs the movie with subjects deserving of features but instead treated as footnotes. In 2010, James received treatment for a dependency on painkillers. [33] She performed nine times at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival and five times at the San Francisco Jazz Festival. I agree, the Etta James story needs no embellishment. Record Producer, Music Executive. It produced two hit singles, "Fool That I Am" and "Don't Cry Baby".[23]. Tell Mama's B-side was I'd Rather Go Blind, a brooding, agonised ballad ofloss and jealousy which now stands asJames's most celebrated recording and one of the classic sides of soul music. [5] The family name was changed to Chess, with Lejzor becoming Leonard and Fiszel becoming Philip. [4] Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was also ranked number 62 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. But nothing has an impact or leaves a mark, least of all the songs, watered down by actors doing miniature impersonations of giants. Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California on January 25, 1938; her mother was just 14 years old at the time, and she never knew her father, though she would later say she had reason to believe he was the well-known pool hustler Minnesota Fats. Another version, performed by Christina Aguilera, was in the 2010 film Burlesque. 1 What happened between Etta James and Leonard Chess? Her 1963 album EttaJames Rocks the House was recorded live at the New Era club in Nashville and documents a formidable performer. The British pop singer Adele said that it was buying an Etta James CD when she was 13 that made her want to sing. Minnesota Fats, Muddy Waters, and Etta James - AzBilliards Forums For instance, while the film plays heavily on a romantic relationship with Chess Records head, Leonard Chess, this information was never once mentioned in Ettas autobiography. Perhaps most intriguing are, however, James explosive reinvention of the traditional ditty Shortnin Bread (a song that Brian Wilson would subsequently become obsessed with) and the colorful short story The Pick Up, with a coolly assured Etta swapping salty lines with a blistering sax. Phil Chess obituary | Pop and rock | The Guardian Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess envisioned James as a classic ballad stylist who had potential to cross over to the pop charts and soon surrounded the singer with violins and other string instruments. Sign in to continue reading, Christopher Loudon on the release of a new compilation of vintage material from the legendary singer. [19] Later that same year (1960), James released a second studio album, The Second Time Around. The New York Times went so far as to describe James as the Powerful Voice Behind At Last in the headline of the papers obituary. 2023 Madavor Media, LLC. At the beginning of her recording career, in the mid-1950s, James was marketed as an R&B and doo-wop singer. James was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame a full eight years before her 2001 inclusion in the Blues Hall of Fame. "[citation needed] In 1954, James recorded and was credited as co-author for "The Wallflower" (a title change to the aforementioned song, "Work with Me, Annie"), which was released in early 1955. The Impact of Chess Records - Black Music Scholar Described as a soul enigma by MOJO magazine in 2002, Jordan has had a fascinating musical career of his own. Perhaps her voice, so raw and emotionally expressive, was too fierce for the general public. Legendary soul singer Etta James dead at 73 | Fox News In 1967 Leonard Chess, the founder ofChess Records, sent James to Alabama to record at Fame studios with the producer Rick Hall. What are the 4 main characteristics is shared by all living things? In February 1955, the song reached number one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Tracks chart. FAQs James referred to her mother as "the Mystery Lady". Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Leonard invested in Aristocrat Records and eventually asked his brother to invest with him. Her first was in 1995, when she was awarded Best Jazz Vocal Performance for the album Mystery Lady, which consisted of covers of Billie Holiday songs. James was once considered one of the most overlooked blues and R&B musicians in the music history of the United States. 0. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
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