Etta James

Etta James Honored At Grammys By Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt

12 Feb 2012 21:11:11 EST

But Whitney Houston isn't far from Keys' mind: 'As we were reminded just yesterday, when a truly great artist leaves us, their legacy lives on.'
By Kelley L. Carter

Dressed in all black, Alicia Keys took to the Grammy stage Sunday night (February 12) with country crooner Bonnie Raitt and paid tribute to two now-gone legends.

Initially, the two were just set to pay homage to the late, great Etta James, who died just last month at the age of 73 in California. James was a six-time Grammy winner. But Keys, a clear student of Whitney Houston, said, "As we were reminded just yesterday, when a truly great artist leaves us, their legacy lives on."

It was a reference to Houston, the iconic singer who was found dead in her hotel room in Beverly Hills on the eve of the Grammy Awards. Houston, also a six-time Grammy winner, was 48.

Keys and Raitt avoided the obvious James choice — her ubiquitous and well-known hit "At Last" — and instead sang "Sunday Kind of Love," a song featured on the same album as her biggest hit that has since became a classic standard.

"We love you, Etta! We love you, Whitney! We'll never forget you," the two said almost in unison at the conclusion of the performance.

Houston died at the age of 48 on Saturday. Her body was found at the Beverly Hilton, hours before her mentor Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy bash. She was expected to attend the annual fete. The party went on as planned Saturday night, where Davis, Diddy, Alicia Keys and Tony Bennett all paid tribute to the fallen star. A tribute to Houston is also planned during Sunday's show, led by Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan.

Stick with MTV News for all the news on Whitney Houston's tribute, the Grammy red-carpet fashion, Grammy winners and more until the hangover wears off!

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Etta James Memorial Features Performances By Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder

30 Jan 2012 10:57:25 EST

James' songs 'cut right to my soul,' Aguilera tells family, friends and fans at service.
By John Mitchell

Family, friends and fans gathered to remember Etta James at a memorial service on Saturday at City of Refuge Church in Gardena, California. The legendary singer was eulogized by the Rev. Al Sharpton, and her most beloved songs were brought to life with rousing performances by Christina Aguilera and Stevie Wonder.

Sharpton opened the service by reading a statement from President Barack Obama, whose first inaugural-ball dance with First Lady Michelle Obama was famously accompanied by a rendition of James' classic "At Last" performed by Beyoncé.

"Etta will be remembered for her legendary voice and her contributions to our nation's musical heritage," Obama's statement read.

James died on January 20 after a long battle with leukemia and other health problems, including kidney failure and dementia. She was 73.

Sharpton's eulogy of James recounted a difficult life of poverty and pain that was brought out in songs that influenced contemporary singers from Aguilera and Adele to Florence Welch and Amy Winehouse, who like James battled drug addiction but unlike her idol was never able to overcome it. James was also a favorite of Beyoncé, who portrayed the singer in the 2008 film "Cadillac Records."

"Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time. I am so fortunate to have met such a queen," Beyoncé said in a statement following James' passing. "Her musical contributions will last a lifetime."

"Out of all the singers that I've ever heard, she was the one that cut right to my soul and spoke to me," Aguilera said before her performance of "At Last" at the service.

Wonder performed three songs, including "Shelter in the Rain," an a cappella version of "The Lord's Prayer" and a harmonica solo.

Sharpton emphasized how the singer's music bolstered the civil rights movement. "Etta James helped break down the culture curtain of America before the Civil Rights Act of 1964," Sharpton said. "She was able to get us on the same rhythms and humming the same ballads and understanding each other's melodies way before we could even use the same hotels."

James is survived by her husband of 42 years, Artis Mills, and two sons, Donto and Sametto James.

"You beat 'em, Etta," Sharpton concluded. "At last, you can find peace now. At last, you can get the gratitude of the savior now. Etta, you made it, you're going home. At last. At last. At last."

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Adele Remembers Etta James As 'The Ultimate Original'

23 Jan 2012 17:38:55 EST

'It's an honour every time I hear her voice,' Adele writes of the late singer.
By Jocelyn Vena

Days after legendary songstress Etta James passed away from complications of leukemia, Adele took to her blog to recall the great influence the singer has had on her.

"What a lady Etta James was. She was the ultimate original," she said, recalling her own encounter with the icon. "Her voice was breath taking and her songs are reflections we all recognise in some way or another. It's an honour every time I hear her voice. I saw her at BB Kings in New York a few years ago, and it was something I will remember forever. Thank you to Etta James. And I send all my love to her family and friends."

Since the news broke of James' death, many big-voiced divas have opened up about the influence she had on them. "Etta James was a force to be reckoned with. A true gift to music and a woman of great spirit and courage. Her raw tone and the passion she put forth on a record spoke to me at a very young age and has continued to influence and inspire me throughout my career," Christina Aguilera said in a statement. "She will NEVER be forgotten, her voice will forever live on and she will inspire talent for generations to come."

Beyoncé also remembered the "At Last" singer within hours of learning of her passing. She was one in a long line of pop stars who paid their last respects to James, including Hayley Williams, will.i.am and Flo Rida.

"This is a huge loss. Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time. I am so fortunate to have met such a queen," Beyoncé wrote on her blog. "Her musical contributions will last a lifetime. Playing Etta James taught me so much about myself, and singing her music inspired me to be a stronger artist. When she effortlessly opened her mouth, you could hear her pain and triumph. Her deeply emotional way of delivering a song told her story with no filter. She was fearless, and had guts. She will be missed."

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20 Jan 2012 16:31:58 EST

The Matriarch of R&B died at 73 after a struggle with leukemia.
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Beyonce Mourns Etta James

20 Jan 2012 15:03:19 EST

'She was fearless, and had guts. She will be missed,' Beyonce writes on her blog.
By Jocelyn Vena

Etta James died on Friday (January 20) at the age of 73 after a lengthy battle with leukemia. The singer is being remembered by Beyoncé, who has quite the history with her.

Photos: The life and career of Etta James.

B famously portrayed the blond jazz singer in the 2008 biopic "Cadillac Records." Her version of "At Last" from the film's soundtrack would later win a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

Beyoncé's version of James' iconic ballad once-again made headlines when she performed the track at President Obama's inaugural ball in 2009. The performance was initially met with some criticism from the always-outspoken James, but she later came around.

Beyoncé is the latest in a long line of celebrities paying tribute to James. "Showing respect, appreciation and love for all the wonderful music and joy #ettajames brought to the world...#ettajamesforever," Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am wrote on Twitter.

Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams recalled how James' music influenced her. "#EttaJames, I will be forever grateful for your voice and your soul. Rest in peace." Rapper Flo Rida — whose latest hit, "Good Feeling," samples James' "Something's Got a Hold on Me" — wrote, "I'm deeply saddened by the passing of the Great Etta James and I will be forever grateful for the gift she Blessed me with."

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Etta James Remembered By will.i.am, Hayley Williams

20 Jan 2012 14:05:06 EST

Late blues singer also mourned by Flo Rida, whose latest hit, 'Good Feeling,' samples James' 'Something's Got a Hold on Me.'
By Jocelyn Vena

As the world mourns the loss of Etta James, many of her celebrity fans are taking to Twitter to remember the soul singer, known best for songs like "At Last," "All I Could Do Was Cry" and "Tell Mama."

Adam Lambert, Mya, Keri Hilson and Russell Brand kept their reaction to a simple "RIP," while others decided to remember the singer in more personal ways. "Showing respect appreciation and love for all the wonderful music and joy #ettajames brought to the world...#ettajamesforever," Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am tweeted.

"Rip [to] Etta James," the Roots' ?uestlove wrote. "I will hold the torch high for The Roots name in your honor."

Photos: The life and career of Etta James.

Proving that her soulful voice and influence spanned generations and genres, Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams recalled how James' music influenced her. "#EttaJames, I will be forever grateful for your voice and your soul. Rest in peace."

Christina Aguilera, who clearly picked up some tips on fierce singing from Ms. James, sent a statement to MTV News: "Etta James was a force to be reckoned with. A true gift to music and a woman of great spirit and courage. Her raw tone and the passion she put forth on a record spoke to me at a very young age and has continued to influence and inspire me throughout my career. She will NEVER be forgotten, her voice will forever live on and she will inspire talent for generations to come."

British pop singer Jessie J reacted to the news as well, saying, "Just been told the legend that is Etta James has passed. Thank you for your voice your dedication to us and your gift. Your voice is timeless and will forever live on. I will always look to you for inspiration. R.I.P."

Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill tweeted, "RIP Etta James. One of the greatest voices of all time. Thanks for the many romantic moments your music created."

Guns N' Roses' Duff McKagan called James "a WARRIOR of a woman. A talent without equal."

Rapper Flo Rida — whose latest hit, "Good Feeling," samples James' "Something's Got a Hold on Me" — added, "I'm deeply saddened by the passing of the Great Etta James and I will be forever grateful for the gift she Blessed me with."

And like Flo, EDM artist Avicii uses the same sample, on his song "Le7els." That song's executive producer, Ash Pounouri, sent a statement to MTV News about James' death: "She had one of the most amazing and standout voices in the world and we are so glad she got to hear our interpretation of her work. 'Le7els' will always be a big milestone in not only our career, but for Electronic Dance Music as a whole genre — so many people around the world have embraced her lyrics in this track, especially the generations that would otherwise have risked missing out on acknowledging her incredible vocal talent."

"American Idol" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe noted how "inspirational" James has been to young singers. "One of the #IDOL finalists just sang 'I'd Rather Go Blind' yesterday," he tweeted. "We were saying how great Etta James was and now we've lost her."

It's not just the music community bidding the singer a fond farewell. "Pretty Little Liars" star Shay Mitchell wrote, "R.I.P Etta James. I'll keep playing your records over and over again, especially this song," tweeting a link to her iconic track "At Last." "Vampire Diaries" actress Candice Accola tweeted, "Oh Etta, you live on in our hearts and leave us dreaming of a Sunday kind of love. Rest in peace."

"Glee" diva Amber Riley added that the jazzy singer had "such a unique & beautiful voice."

James died Friday (January 20) after a lengthy battle with leukemia. She was 73 years old.

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Etta James Dead At 73

20 Jan 2012 11:49:48 EST

Legendary singer, who influenced everyone from Janis Joplin to Beyoncé, died Friday after battle with leukemia.
By James Montgomery

Etta James, the legendary singer whose career spanned six decades (and just as many musical genres) and whose voice has influenced everyone from Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt to Christina Aguilera and Adele, died Friday (January 20) after a lengthy battle with leukemia. She was 73 years old.

Best known for hits like "At Last," "All I Could Do Was Cry," "Tell Mama," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and "Good Rockin' Daddy," James learned to sing in church, and first recorded professionally as a member of the all-girl doo-wop group the Peaches, with whom she'd score a #1 hit ("The Wallflower," an answer to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie"). Soon after that song's success, James left the group and toured with the likes of Little Richard and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. She'd subsequently sign with Chicago's Chess Records in 1960, where her powerful contralto was featured on a string of crossover classics that spanned R&B, soul, gospel, blues and even rock. It was during that time that she also began a battle with heroin addiction, one that would lead to stints in rehabilitation facilities and stall her career's momentum.

James would continue to record for Chess until 1978, then, after a stint opening for the Rolling Stones, she'd spend the next decade largely adrift, before returning with her comeback album, 1989's Seven Year Itch, which reunited her with producer Jerry Wexler and began a period that saw her finally receive the acclaim she'd long deserved. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and, the following year, won her first-ever Grammy award. In subsequent years, she'd also be enshrined in both the Blues and Rockabilly Halls, earn a lifetime achievement award from the Grammys and continue to record a string of well-received blues and jazz albums.

Photos: The life and career of Etta James.

Her Chess Records period was brought to the big screen (with varying degrees of accuracy) in the 2008 musical biopic "Cadillac Records," with Beyoncé portraying James. Beyoncé's cover of "At Last" was released as the lead single off the film's soundtrack, and would go on to win a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Beyoncé would also perform the song at president Barack Obama's inaugural ball in January 2009, a move which led James to famously tell an audience in Seattle that B "has no business up there singing ... my song that I've been singing forever." She'd later explain to the New York Daily News that she was joking, but added that she could've performed the song better.

In recent years, with her status secured (and her addiction problems largely behind her), James continued to tour, and she's been championed by some of today's biggest contemporary stars, like Adele, Aguilera, Florence Welch, Paramore's Hayley Williams, Joss Stone and Jazon Mraz. She was also a particular favorite of the late Amy Winehouse, whose own battles with addiction sadly turned out differently than James'. And just this year, a sample of her "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was used to maximum effect by DJ Avicii on his international hit "Levels," while her voice can be heard via sample in Flo Rida's current top ten hit, "Good Feeling."

James' health had been in decline for several years. In 2010, her son Donto told reporters that James had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and in January 2011, court documents filed by her husband — who was seeking to take control of her finances, as she was extremely ill — revealed that she was also undergoing treatment for leukemia. In December, James' live-in physician told a California newspaper that the singer was "terminally ill" and asked "for the prayers of her fans and friends." James' final album, The Dreamer, was released in November.

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Etta James Says Beyonce Dis Was A Joke

06 Feb 2009 12:06:00 EST

Singer seems concerned about Obama's possible reaction to her comments regarding him.
By Gil Kaufman

Although she said Beyoncé deserved to be "whipped" during a show in Seattle last month, "At Last" singer Etta James now says she was just trying to be funny.

The firestorm that greeted a recording of James dissing Beyoncé and saying unkind things about president Obama subsided somewhat on Friday (February 6), when the New York Daily News reported that James — seemingly upset that B had sung her signature song, "At Last," at Obama's inauguration last month — said she was joking around when she claimed she "can't stand" the "Single Ladies" singer.

"I didn't really mean anything," the notoriously cantankerous James told the tabloid about her January 28 screed, noting that she was a bit upset about not being asked to sing her signature song at the inauguration. "Even as a little child, I've always had that comedian kind of attitude. ... That's probably what went into it.

"Nobody was getting mad at me in Seattle," she added. "They were all laughing, and it was funny." In fact, on a tape of the rant that surfaced online, the audience does appear to be egging James on, clapping and hooting at her salty monologue. She said she was feeling "left out of something that was basically mine, that I had done every time you look around." The song, written in 1941, was first recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and then by Nat King Cole in 1957, but is best known for James' 1961 cover.

On Friday, a spokesperson for Beyoncé had no comment on the situation.

James reportedly told the paper that her broadside did not come from a "vicious place," but when asked if she thought she could outsing Beyoncé — who portrayed James in "Cadillac Records" — the 71-year-old legend offered, "I think so. That's a shame to say that."

She also hoped that Obama would not take her jibes about his "big ears" and him not being "my president," personally, explaining, "He's got other stuff [to worry about] besides Etta James."

She noted that she "always thought he was handsome and he was cool," and that her joke "might be horrible. The president might not ever like me in life."

An anonymous White House insider reportedly told Chicago Sun-Times gossip columnist Bill Zwecker, "It never crossed anyone's mind that there was anything inappropriate about Beyoncé singing that song. ... First of all, the message of the song was so perfect. Beyoncé sang it in the ['Cadillac Records'] film, and I don't think the people organizing that event even knew Etta was still performing. ... I'm sure some of the younger people involved didn't even know she is still alive!"

James had previously been supportive of Beyoncé, who earned praise for her warts-and-all portrayal of the singer in "Records." At the rehearsals for his annual Pre-Grammy Gala on Thursday, legendary music mogul Clive Davis told MTV News said he had not heard James' remarks, but that he didn't take the alleged rift too seriously.

"I know that last year when I introduced Leona Lewis to Whitney Houston there was a sense of visible awe," Davis said of the relationship between new stars and veterans. "It was not, 'I'm gonna show a past generation [up].' I'm not saying it was a lovefest, but back in the day ... they could all be great, but they competed with each other. But I don't think it's indigenous to artists. I don't view it as a problem."

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Beyonce Slammed By Etta James For Singing 'At Last' At Inaugural Ball

05 Feb 2009 09:31:00 EST

'I can't stand Beyonce,' James says during Seattle concert.
By Gil Kaufman

Remember a few months ago when Etta James had some nice things to say about Beyoncé's portrayal of her in "Cadillac Records"? Well, apparently the good vibes have dissipated. James unleashed a verbal beat-down on B last week during a concert in which she, believe it or not, threatened to whip the "Single Ladies" singer's butt.

Though she wasn't the first singer to perform it, the 71-year-old James has made the smoldering ballad "At Last" her signature song since it became a hit for her in 1961. Beyoncé sang for President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama's first dance at the Neighborhood Ball two weeks ago. For some reason, that seems to have angered James, who put Beyoncé, and the president, for that matter, on blast during a show at Seattle's Paramount Theatre on January 28.

During the gig, she criticized the singer's performance at the inauguration. "You guys know your president, right? You know the one with the big ears?" began her rant, a recording of which was obtained by TMZ. "Wait a minute, he ain't my president. He might be yours; he ain't my president. But I tell you that woman he had singing for him, singing my song — she's going to get her a-- whipped.

"The great Beyoncé," James went on. "Like I said, she ain't mine. ... I can't stand Beyoncé. She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol' president day, gonna be singing my song that I've been singing forever."

A review of the show in the Seattle Times noted James' reputation as a bawdy performer, adding that she made "lewd facial and hand gestures" during her opening song, "Come to Mama."

Beyoncé won critical acclaim for portraying James in "Cadillac Records," and has performed "At Last" several times since the movie was released, including in front of James, who has not made this kind of public fuss over it previously. A spokesperson for Beyoncé could not be reached for comment at press time. Beyoncé got in hot water with another icon last year at the Grammys, when soul legend Aretha Franklin ripped into B for introducing Tina Turner as "the queen," a title Franklin has claimed as her own.

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Beyonce Releases Two Tracks From I Am ... , Inspired By Jay-Z And Etta James

08 Oct 2008 14:06:00 EDT

B says playing the jazz singer in 'Cadillac Records' pushed her 'to do a lot of things musically that no one else is doing.'
By Jennifer Vineyard

Two new singles by BeyoncéBeyoncé premiered on the radio Wednesday (October 8) in advance of the November 18 release of her upcoming album, I Am ... . One is the dance track "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and the other is a more introspective ballad called "If I Were a Boy" — two songs that represent two different sides of the singer, as she suggested in a letter to fans last week.

The singer recently opened up to Essence magazine about some of the influences on the album, which include hubby Jay-Z and playing Etta James in the movie "Cadillac Records."

B recorded 60 to 70 songs for the album (only 10 made the cut), but 40 of them turned out to be about love, she said. "There's a balance," she told the magazine. Meaning the love is reciprocated? "Yeah," she giggled. "Definitely."

While "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" acts sonically as a sequel to "Get Me Bodied," "If I Were a Boy" is unlike anything Beyoncé has done before. "It's broad," she told Essence. "But I had to try it, because I remember Aretha Franklin said a great singer can sing anything and make it her own."

B also decided to follow the example of Etta James and broaden her horizons. "Etta expressed herself; she was bold," Beyoncé said. "That inspired me to do a lot of things musically that no one else is doing."

Etta also inspired her to do a lot of things in her acting career that she's never done before. To prep for "Cadillac Records," B took a trip to a Brooklyn rehab to visit drug addicts. The work paid off, she said. "This is the first time I felt that naked and vulnerable acting," she told Essence. "After I finished the scene, me, my mom, my acting coach, [my cousin and executive assistant] Angie, we were all just jumping up and down, like, 'Oh my God, that was it!' "

And she stretches beyond playing singers (as she's also done in "Fighting Temptations" and "Dreamgirls") for her first thriller, "Obsessed," in which she brawls with "Heroes" star Ali Larter.

"At first it was choreographed as more of a catfight," B said, "but we were like, 'This is not how a woman would fight if she's protecting her family.' Now it's very intense."

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Etta James - Beware

07 Dec 2005 08:00:00 EST

Beware

Artist: Etta James
Label: Interscope
Director: Tamra Davis
Album: The Prince of Tides

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20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

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