If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Theyoung superstar made adecent job of portraying her as a foul-mouthed, two-fisted singer, yet lacked the raging bull quality that made James sounforgettable. Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind Watch on Hope West It never happened. He even asked James, a longtime friend, and she told him, He kissed me on the cheek once.. The song was written by James, Leroy Kirkland and Pearl Woods, while production was handled by Leonard and Phil Chess.It was released in 1962 as the third single from her 1962 self-titled album as a 7" vinyl disc.Musically, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is an R&B track with elements of soul, blues and gospel. King, Janet Jackson, Teddy Riley and many others. Henry (also included on the disc), but it failed to make much noise. James referred to her mother as "the Mystery Lady". 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. [50], James was married to Artis Mills from 1969 until her death in 2012. According to Marshall Chess, son of Leonard Chess, he had these words to say concerning the issue of this affair: Now, my father was no angel, but (he) was never caught in an affair, Chess said. In another instance, Cadillac insinuates Ettas drug abuse stemming from her father issues. It is simply my hope to witness someone who will have the guts to really tell that story in the spirit Etta gave and deserves..the truth! may be a great author. Subscribe, 2023 Grown Folks Music. During Ettas early days at Chess, she was very open in having a relationship with Harvey Fuqua, member of the Moonglows and later played a pivotal role in the formation of Motown Records. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 2 What happened to the owner of Chess Records? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Brussels music act Vaya Con Dios covered the song on their 1990 album Night Owls. 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. Dueting with Harvey Fuqua, James recorded for Argo Records (later renamed Cadet Records), a label established by Chess. [38], James was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2011. In her autobiography, Rage to Survive, she wrote that she heard the song outlined by her friend Ellington "Fugi" Jordan when she visited him in prison. [citation needed] In her autobiography, she noted how impressed she was with the young singer's manners. 2023 Etta James and Leonard Chess never had a romantic or sexual relationship, as the film suggests (although James did have an affair with the married Harvey Fugua of the Moonglows, yet another Chess . [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. Most notable are the growly, hulking Howlin' Wolf, blues-gone-pop belter Etta James and country-tinged rock-and-roller Chuck Berry. 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. [77] Her albums Life, Love, & the Blues (1999), Burnin' Down the House (2003), and Let's Roll (2004) were awarded Soul/Blues Album of the Year,[77] and in 2001 she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.[71]. [41] James's voice deepened and coarsened, moving her musical style in her later years into the genres of soul and jazz.[19]. Two other Berry tunes are included in this collection, the rollicking Number One (which cleverly references Henry as a bygone lover) and the stridently plaintive Im A Fool. James herself co-authored both the playfully sensual W-O-M-A-N and the high-octane Tough Lover, easily the equal of any of Little Richards thundering hits. In 1989, she signed with Island Records and with them released the albums Seven Year Itch and Stickin' to My Guns, both of which were produced by Barry Beckett and recorded at FAME Studios. She later got married again to Abner Bernard Spector. From her first R&B hit, in 1955, the risqu Roll With Me Henry cut when she was only 15 through a series of classic 1960s soul sides (thelush ballad At Last, theraucous house rocker Tell Mama and the emotional agony of I'd Rather Go Blind), then a series of critically acclaimed 1970s and 1980s albums that won her a broad rock audience, to more recent albums of jazz vocals, James proved capable of developing and changing asan artist. Early life 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. When Leonard Chessthe founder of Jamess label, Chess Recordsfirst heard the song, James says, he got up and left the room cause he started crying When he came back in the room, he said, Etta, its a mother its a mother. So it is. In 2008, James was portrayed by Beyonc Knowles in the film Cadillac Records, a fictional account of Chess Records, James's label for 18 years, about how label founder and producer Leonard Chess helped the careers of James and others. For those of you whove never read the the autobiography of Etta James, Rage To Survive, I stronglyencourage you tocheckout thisbook. [59], James was hospitalized in January 2010 to treat an infection caused by MRSA, a bacterium resistant to many antibiotics. Chess was the focus of 2008 movies Cadillac Records (portrayed by Adrien Brody) and Who Do You Love? The true story is that the man who recorded under the pseudonym Howlin Wolf was a 300-pound farmer named Chester Burnette. He was influential in the development of electric blues, Chicago blues, and rock and roll . 4:00AM. [1] She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse, and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Appreciate your comment. [73] In 2003, she was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. [19], By the mid-1990s, James's earlier musicby now considered classicwas being used in commercials, including "I Just Wanna Make Love to You," for example. Thank you, Wayne. "It never happened." He. (Berry has already served as the subject for one of the better rockumentaries: Taylor Hackford's 1987 Chuck Berry Hail! Her 1978 album Deep in the Night, produced by Jerry Wexler for Warner Bros., incorporated more rock-based music in her repertoire. Otis took the Creolettes under his wing and helped them sign to Modern Records, at which point they changed their name to Peaches. He also takes issue with the onscreen love affair between Leonard and Etta James. The tracks crossover potential was limited by more than just its sexually charged lyrics. Pianist Prez was then a professor at the New England Conservatory; his student, Read More Explaining the Taubman Approach, Everyone knows that Joe Williams sang the hell out of the blues, but do you know what else he sang the hell out of? James would go on to publicly criticize Beyonce, who was invited to perform the song at Barack Obama's inaugural ball, but later added that her critical remarks were meant to be received as a joke and stemmed from personal hurt over not having been invited to the sing the song herself for the Obama inauguration. How many children did Leonard Chess have with Revetta Sloan? In Otis's version, she came to his hotel after one of his performances in the city and persuaded him to audition her. James believed that King's hit single "Sweet Sixteen" was about her. That success was quickly followed by "Stop the Wedding", which reached number six on the R&B chart and also had gospel elements. 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". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Two of her early songs have been given Grammy Hall of Fame Awards for "qualitative or historical significance": "At Last", in 1999,[72] and "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)" in 2008. Rage to Survive, James's autobiography, was published in 1995 and proved as blistering as her singing. What did Leonard Chess son say about Etta James? [39] James' original classic music again charted after these 21st-century re-interpretations. The original title of the song was actually "Roll with Me, Henry", but it had been changed to avoid censorship at the time (roll implying sexual activity). As the 1960s progressed, Chess's recording enterprise branched out into other genres including gospel, traditional jazz, spoken word, comedy, and more. During this period, she became addicted to methadone and would mix her doses with heroin. Two films highlight role of Jewish immigrants in popularizing blues and rock", "Fictional History: What It Was Like to Start Rock 'n' Roll, Sort Of", Chess Records: How Two Polish Brothers Made Music History, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leonard_Chess&oldid=1145483368, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from December 2016, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 March 2023, at 11:03. In 1950, Mama Lu died, and James's biological mother took her to the Fillmore district of San Francisco. It does not store any personal data. They auditioned for the maverick R&B band leader Johnny Otis. She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles County, California. Record Producer, Music Executive. As many families did, when they arrived in the United States the Czy family changed their name. The life of Ms. Etta James is as fascinating as her voice, complicated as her vocal interpretations and raw as her passion. Presley died a year later. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. In 1995 James recorded Mystery Lady, the first in a series of jazz vocal albums where she channelled the influence of Billie Holiday. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera gave musical tributes. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. In time, other important artists signed with Chess Records, including Bo Diddley and Sonny Boy Williamson, while Willie Dixon and Robert Lockwood Jr. took on a significant role behind the scenes. The song reached No 1 on the R&B charts (while Georgia Gibbs's bland cover went to No 1 in the pop charts). She added that she would have sung the song better. 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. In 1973, James was arrested for possession of heroin. It produced two hit singles, "Fool That I Am" and "Don't Cry Baby".[23]. Chess was born to Polish-Jewish parents in Motal, now in Belarus. In April 2009, at the age of 71, James made her final television appearance, performing "At Last" on the program Dancing with the Stars. Lejzor Szmuel Czy (March 12, 1917 October 16, 1969), best known as Leonard Sam Chess, was a Polish-American record company executive and the co-founder of Chess Records. Meanwhile, the film barely touches upon Chess' questionable business dealings that left these pioneers all but broke, save for the brand-new Cadillacs Chess would buy his artists upon their topping of the pops. A Christmas album, Etta James Christmas, was released in 1998. Describing the song in her autobiography, James wrote, I was blind. 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. It became a crossover hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which angered James. 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. Like most of her tone-deaf predecessors, Martin feels the need to make the truth more entertaining and ends up desecrating the history books. James sang background vocals for her labelmate Chuck Berry on his "Back in the U.S.A."[20][21], Her debut album, At Last!, was released in late 1960 and was noted for its varied selection of music, from jazz standards to blues to doo-wop and rhythm and blues (R&B). Addicted to heroin and bad men, she lived a criminal lifestyle and was jailed several times. Lejzor became Leonard. 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]. [35] She performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2006 and 2009 (prior 2012 credit - after date of death). Rock'n'Roll (1987), opened stadium dates for the Rolling Stones and was inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. 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!") 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. 2023 Madavor Media, LLC. [16][8], James signed with Private Music Records in 1993 and recorded a Billie Holiday tribute album, Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday. What are the 4 main characteristics is shared by all living things? Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". On his release in 1981, the couple reunited. Become a member and get exclusive access to articles, live sessions and more! Learn how your comment data is processed. Cadillac Records begins with Dixon laying the foundation of the story, introducing us to "one white boy from Chicago" (Chess, first seen mid-coitus) and "one sharecropper from Mississippi" (Waters, tilling the soil). "Shewas never there when I got off from school," James recalled, "so I could pretty much do what I wanted to do drinking, smoking weed." He wrote that James had her first hit single when she was 15 years old and went steady with B.B. But you always knew that Read More Kelly Sill, Several years ago, one of Danilo Prezs students was suffering from tendinitis. In the 1950s, Chess Records' commercial success grew with artists such as Little Walter, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, and Chuck Berry, and in the '60s with Etta James, Fontella Bass, Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Laura Lee, and Tommy Tucker, as well as with the subsidiary labels Checker, Argo, and Cadet. 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. [25] According to her account, she wrote the rest of the song with Jordan but for tax reasons gave her songwriting credit to her partner at the time, Billy Foster. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The film Cadillac Records, a heavily fictionalised biopic about Chess Records, attracted wide attention due to Beyonc's appearance asJames. Pretty Lights sampled the song in "Finally Moving", followed by Avicii's dance hit "Levels", and again in Flo Rida's single "Good Feeling". Already a member? According to Marshall Chess, son of Leonard Chess, he had these words to say concerning the issue of this affair: "Now, my father was no angel, but (he) was never caught in an affair," Chess said. Jamessang with unmatched emotional hunger and a pain that can chill the listener. "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is a song by American singer Etta James. Money matters: Though Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) . She notched up such hits as All I Could Do Was Cry, If I Can't Have You and AtLast. Having finally conquered her drug addiction in 1988, she began to struggle with her weight in 2002, weighing more than 400lb, she had gastric bypass surgery and lost 200lb, which allowed her to return to active singing and performing. James continued to record for Chess (now owned by All Platinum Records), releasing one more album in 1976, Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! The same sample was used by the east coast rapper Flo Rida in his 2011 hit single "Good Feeling". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. However when you fully inhale the intricacies of Ms. Jamess defiant nature and understand the surrounding issues that followed her life and compare them to Beyonces persona and acting range, it just doesnt scream a perfect match. From the age of five, she sang gospel in the local church and later acknowledged the influence of the choirmaster, Professor James Earl Hines. [42] The following year, 1990, she received an NAACP Image Award, which is given for "outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts;"[66] it was an award she cherished as it "was coming from my own people". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Both artists issued statements of condolence upon James's death. That year, James's influence was everywhere, with avariety of black female singers (including Turner, Gladys Knight and Candi Staton) employing her defiant, abrasive vocal style. 4 What did Leonard Chess son say about Etta James? Former Artie Shaw vocalist Georgia Gibbs, signed to the far more powerful Mercury label, released a cleaned-up cover version, safely entitled Dance With Me Henry. It spent three weeks at number one on the pop charts. [22] The album included the future classics "I Just Want to Make Love to You" and "A Sunday Kind of Love". James was a star, yet one seemingly set on self-destruction. Leonard Chess Lejzor Szmuel Czy (March 12, 1917 - October 16, 1969), best known as Leonard Sam Chess, was a Polish-American record company executive and the co-founder of Chess Records. Our Mission First, a key spoiler: Cadillac Records is not the story of Chess Records, the blues label started in Chicago in 1950 by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess that featured among its stable of artists Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Etta James, plus many others who birthed rock 'n' roll. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. I seriously enjoyed reading it, you In 1992, she recorded the album The Right Time, produced by Jerry Wexler for Elektra Records. [7] In 1950, the Chess brothers renamed the company Chess Records. Chess, a junkyard owner, dreams of opening a nightclub, which he does: the Macomba Lounge. 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. [57] He was released from prison in 1981. An elite fanclub ensured James sang at the Los Angeles Olympics opening ceremony in 1984, appeared in Taylor Hackford's celebrated Chuck Berry feature Hail! [42] James has influenced a wide variety of musicians, including, notably, Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Janis Joplin, Brandy, Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Beth Hart, Hayley Williams of Paramore[43] and Brent Smith of Shinedown[44] as well as British artists The Rolling Stones,[45] Elkie Brooks,[46] Paloma Faith,[47] Joss Stone,[48] Rita Ora, Amy Winehouse, and Adele,[49] and the Belgian singer Dani Klein. Testimonials, Shipping and Returns Policy Who was the singer that played Etta James? FAQs Hail! Love Ms. Etta James!! They quickly went to Chicago to join their father, Joseph, who was already engaged in the liquor business, which was illegal at the height of Prohibition and controlled in Chicago by Al Capone. Often controversial, always entertaining, JazzTimes is a favorite of musicians and fans alike. Also in 1995, she recorded the album Time After Time. [19] After a couple of years of minor hits, James's career started to suffer after 1965. I want to encourage that you continue your great posts, Chess contacted Sam Phillips (of Sun Records) to help find and record new artists from the South. The British pop singer Adele said that it was buying an Etta James CD when she was 13 that made her want to sing. 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 story is too fragmented to deciphera sloppily arranged sequence of sketches that's like a who's who without the why. According to Marshall Chess, son of Leonard Chess, he had these words to say concerning the issue of this affair: Now, my father was no angel, but (he) was never caught in an affair, Chess said. Join the Observer community and help support 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. The trauma of her foster father forcing her to sing under these humiliating circumstances caused her to have difficulties with singing on demand throughout her career. On her 2004 release, Blue Gardenia, she returned to a jazz style. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 0. All contents 3 Who was Harvey Fuqua dating before Etta James? [6] In 1947, Leonard became associated with Aristocrat Records, increasing his share in the company over time; eventually he and Phil would acquire complete control. [61][62] Her death came three days after that of Johnny Otis, the man who had discovered her in the 1950s. Between this internal tug of war and growing up in a business that didnt cater much to a growing teenager, Ettas life journey was surrounded by upheaval and survival. [24] The album did not produce any major hits, however, and neither did the follow-up album, Come a Little Closer, in 1974, though, like '73's Etta James before it, the album was also critically acclaimed. 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.
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