Etta James is an American singer in the styles of blues, soul, jazz, gospel. Winner of two Grammy awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Childhood and first musical experience
Fate itself contributed to Etta James becoming a star. The future singer was born in Los Angeles, a city where talented dreamers from all over the world come and strive to conquer it. Jamesetta Hawkins was born on January 25, 1938, when her mother was only fourteen years old. Little is known about the biography of his father. The girl received her first singing skills in a Protestant church. The choir director was Professor James Hines, an experienced and talented vocal teacher. As a teenager, the young artist organized a girl group of her peers. They wrote their songs and sang popular hits. The collective was in demand and gave many concerts. At one of the events, they liked the producer Johnny Otis. The musician listened to the group, noted the success of his own compositions and gave the main soloist the pseudonym Etta.
The beginning of popularity
The first song, recorded under the auspices of Otis together with Richard Berry, topped the r'n'b charts. Until 1960, the singer collaborated with her first producer, then moved to the label of Leonard Chess. The head of the new label took up its promotion with great enthusiasm. The famous songs "At last", "Don’t cry baby", "Trust in me", which was recorded with the participation of a string orchestra, belong to this period. The producer took into account the singer's versatility. Other sides of her voice were revealed in a gospel song called "Something's get a hold on me". Seven years later, Etta changed studio again. In collaboration with producer Rick Hall, Etta recorded "Tell mama".
Life difficulties
At the end of the seventies, the creative and vital upsurge gave way to decline and depression for ten whole years. She continued to work in the studio, record songs and give small concerts, but did not dare to go on a long tour and did not create immortal hits.
Creative rise
In 1987, the singer again decided to change the environment, and it did her good. On the label "Island Records" the vocalist recorded the album "Seven year itch", which was created according to all the canons of soul music. A little later, Etta became infected with a love of jazz and recorded a cover album for Billie Holiday. For her work, the vocalist received the Grammy for the first time in her life. In the nineties Etta recorded an album of songs for the Christmas Eve Audition. At the beginning of the twenty-first century he created the jazz album "Blue Gardenia". The artist explained her attraction to jazz by the small number of women performing songs in this genre. In 2003, the singer won another Grammy for her disc "Let’s roll". The singer, despite her age, was energetic in the studio, at concerts and in life. After going through life's difficulties, Etta learned to maintain a strong optimism in herself. In the same year, in honor of Etta, a star was deservedly placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Personal life
Etta's husband's name is Artis Mills. They lived together for forty years. The family had sons, who were given the names Sametto and Donto.
End of life
Etta stopped publishing in 2010. A year later, she told the public that she was sick with leukemia. At 73, the singer died.
