Etta James. My brother used to have an
auto garage and always had a radio playing
in the background..with rhythm & blues
coming from WRR radio. The Drifters, the
Dells, Otis Redding, and Mary Wells could
all be heard. That is where I heard Miss
Etta sing 'At Last' for the first time. She was
still a teenager when she recorded the song
that would become her signature. My personal
favorite was 'All I Could Do Was Cry' and my
brother loved 'Dance With Me Henry.' Etta
had problems in her life, no doubt. She battled
drugs, alcohol, and men most of her career.
She and Harvey Fuqua of the Moonglows made
a few duets together and they were a hot item
away from the recording studio also. Later Etta
was diagnosed with leukemia and she battled
it too....but today Miss Etta lost the battle and
died at the age of 73.
Ironically, one of Etta's good friends, Johnny
Otis, also died today. Johnny O was a white boy
that grew up in a black neighborhood and always
had an infinity for the black sound. Using the
basement of his father's grocery story, Johnny O
recorded such talents as Big Momma Thornton,
Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Esther Phillips,
Little Willie John, and Big Joe Turner. He took the
recordings to promoters and brought attention to
his talented friends. Johnny Otis also recorded music
of his own, and 'Hand Jive' was a number one song.
His version of 'Harlem Nocturn' is still one of my
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