how does that one go again?a tumblelog

Jamesetta Hawkins

Etta James (real name Jamesetta Hawkins) is probably best known to a generation as the voice behind a Coke ad with her song I Just Wanna Make Love To You.

However, there was a long and painful road for her to travel before she got to front up for soda-pop:

Born, out of wedlock, to a 14-year old mother she would never have a relationship with her father. (Her mother claimed he was the white pool player Rudolf “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone.)

Discovered in the mid-50s by Johnny Otis she toured with Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson and Otis Redding.  Big break was signing with Chess Records’ subsidiary Argo.  She’d also do stuff on Cadet Records, another Chess piece.

Now HDTOGA will now turn into Heat magazine as it lifts wholesale from Wikipedia the lurid details of James’ substance abuse:

“James encountered a string of legal problems during the early ’70s due to her  heroin addiction.  James was continuously in and out of rehabilitation centres, including the Tarzana Rehabilitation Center, in Los Angeles, California. Her husband Artis Mills, whom she married in 1969, took the fall when they were both arrested for heroin possession and served a 10 year prison sentence.  He was released from prison in 1982 and the couple are still married today.  James was also arrested around the same time for her drug addiction, accused of passing bad checks, forgery and possession of heroin.  In 1974, James was sentenced to drug treatment instead of serving time in prison. James was in the Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital for 17 months, at age 35, and went through much struggle in the beginning of treatment. James later stated in her autobiography that the time she spent in the hospital changed her life. However after leaving treatment, James’ substance abuse continued into the 1980s, after she developed a relationship with a man who was also using drugs. It wasn’t until 1988, at age 50, when James entered the Betty Ford Clinic in California, for treatment that James conquered her drug problem. She claims to have been sober ever since, though she has been known to drink wine onstage at concerts.”

All The Way Down comes from her smack period - this maybe explains why it, on first listen, didn’t strike me as a typical Etta James record.  It also has some of the then-voguish Blaxploitation soundtrack sounds - menancing strings and a chase theme build up.  Anyway, I think it’s a wee cracker of a record.  And she worked with Def Jef!

g.

http://www.etta-james.com/

posted 1 week ago