Show #133: Etta James

Last month Etta James was hospitalized following complications arising from abdominal surgery she'd had in June. I haven't been able to scrounge up any reports of a more recent vintage about her condition. Presumably she is still recovering.


(Photo by A.J. Alfaro.)

Ms. James was born in Los Angeles in 1938 to a young African-American woman and legend has it that her father was billiards legend Rudolph "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone. She began to learn to sing at age 5 and, after a move to San Francisco, was recruited by Johnny Otis in 1954 along with two of Etta's friends to record "Roll With Me Henry". The trio were christened The Peaches and the song (retitled "The Wallflower") was a hit #1 in the R&B charts. Thus began her long and successful career.

She eventually signed to the legendary Chess Records and went on to sing, not only R&B, but also blues, soul, and jazz. For more detail, check out the Wikipedia entry on Ms. James.

Today we have a great soundboard recording from 1989 recorded to the west in Minneapolis. The date was 17 March and the concert took place at the Guthrie Theater.This is the first set.

Setlist:

Roots Band Instrumental
Hip Hugger
Tell Mama
I'd Rather Go Blind
Thank You
Something's Got a Hold on Me
Damn Your Eyes--Feel Like Breaking Up Someone's Home

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Etta James

This is Etta James doing Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do?"