On Friday, January 20th, I was deeply saddened to hear that Ms. Etta James had lost her battle with leukemia at the age of 73. As a genuine Blues enthusiast, I discovered Ms. James’ music about fifteen years ago when I had grown tired of bubble gum pop and bump-n-grind kids music. Over time, I’ve come to turn to Ms. James’ music like I turn to Al Green’s. Sometimes you just need to hear grown-folks sing about grown-folks things like REAL love hoped for, REAL love found, REAL love lost and REAL love rekindled. Whether in joy (“At last”), pain (“Say it isn’t so”) or somewhere in between (“Sugar on the floor”), Ms. James always knew how to cut straight to the heart of the matter, grip your soul and take you with her on all of the emotional roller coasters about which she sang.
I had the opportunity to see Ms. James perform live three times over the past ten years in New York, New Orleans and Toronto. At each performance, she was always the ultimate Woman’s Woman: classy, real, raw, open, fun, and oh, so very soulful.
If you really don’t know Etta James or her music – and let’s face it, if all you know is the seriously, factually flawed “Cadillac Records” biopic from a few years back, you don’t – click here to read Colorlines’ obituary on her passing and cut your teeth on these classics over on Youtube. I guarantee that you’ll love her “more, more, and more” by the time you get through this VERY short list of some of my personal favorites…
1. I’m loving you more…
2. My old flame
3. Sugar on the floor
4. If I can’t have you
5. Say it isn’t so
6. Hawg for ya
7. Hound Dog
8. Stop the wedding
9. I’d rather go blind
10. Tell Mama
11. Sunday kind of love
12. At last
Real and…
Raw…
