Friday, January 20, 2012

R.I.P. Etta James

Etta James passed away today at the age of 73, due to complications from leukemia.  She recorded some of soul and blues greatest music, from At Last! to my personal favorite Tell Mama, to her recordings in the 70's on Chess Records.  Her voice could melt hearts, truly.  As I've said in past postings, Etta's voice was one of my three favorite female vocalists of all-time, up there with Aretha Franklin and Patsy Cline.  Her voice could be powerful and soothing, even within a single song.  Yet the emotion in her voice never changed. When you listen to Etta sing, you truly feel what she sings.  She was vocally blessed, yet she was one of those precious few that I feel were "connected" with something higher spiritually.   Etta James was a special talent.  The Tell Mama sessions that Etta recorded at Muscle Shoals in the late 60's are among my favorite recordings of anyone, ever.  Etta James will be missed!

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