Etta James The Montreux Years

May 31, 2021

Etta James

The Montreux Years

Montreux Sounds/Montreux Media Ventures

Jamesetta Hawkins was born in 1938, known professionally as Etta James, she was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, and Jazz. Starting in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as ”At Last”, “Tell Mama”, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”, and “I’d Rather Go Blind”. She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, and severe physical abuse, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album “Seven Year Itch”.

James’s powerful, deep, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001. Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. James, whose “gutsy, take-no-prisoner vocals colorfully interpreted everything from blues and R&B/soul to rock n roll, jazz and gospel”. She died in 2012.

Bob Merlis has written the four-page liner notes that accompany these two cds. Merlis was press agent for James during her Atlantic Records Years; during both the late 1970’s and the 2000’s

Some of the featured musicians include Lew Soloff, David “Fathead” Newman, Cash McCall, Gene Dinwitty, Herman Roscoe Ernest III, and Jimmy Pugh.

The live performances were recorded between 1975 and 1978; and between 1990 and 1993.

The 21 songs include “Breakin Up Somebody’s Home”; “Damn Your Eyes”; “Tell Mama”; “Come To Mama”: “At Last”; “Respect Yourself”; “Dust My Broom”; “I’d Rather Go Blind”, and others.

It’s time to be thrilled all over again.

Richard Ludmerer

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