Etta james biography youtube

Who Was Etta James?

Etta James was a gospel prodigy. In , she moved to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower." Her career had begun to soar by , due in no small part to songs like "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "At Last." Despite her continued drug problems, she earned a Grammy Award nomination for her eponymous album.

In , she released the album All the Way. James died in Riverside, California, on January 20, , and continues to be is considered one of the most dynamic singers in music.

Early Life

James was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, , in Los Angeles, California, to a year-old mother, Dorothy Hawkins, who encouraged her daughter's singing career.

James would later say, "My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that." James never knew her father.

By the age of 5, James was known as a gospel prodigy, gaining fame