| I have tickets to go see Etta James at Mystic Lake Casino April 1st. Now this woman has had her share of troubles and trials in her 50 plus year carreer. She has a CD out with songs by prince, James Brown and many other artists of the 70's and up. She is basically a R & B artist but does jazz tunes and old time rock as well. Few R&B singers have endured tragic travails on the monumental level that Etta James has and remain on earth to talk about it. The lady's no shrinking violet her autobiography, Rage to Survive, describes her past (including numerous drug addictions) in sordid detail. I am so looking forward to hearing her voice again. I have not heard from Etta James in many years and was surprised to her she's on tour again. Her raw, unharnessed vocals and hot-blooded eroticism has made disciples of singers ranging from Janis Joplin to Bonnie Raitt. James’ pioneering 1950s hits - “The Wallflower” and “Good Rockin’ Daddy” - assure her place in the early history of rock and roll alongside Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Ray Charles. In the Sixties, as a soulful singer of pop and blues diva compared with the likes of Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday, James truly found her... |
