I just saw that one of the all time legends of the blues, Etta James ( born Jamesetta Hawkins) has died in California from complications of leukemia. The perfect cap to an absolutely shitty week. I've been a blues fan all my life and one of the first blues singers to lead me that direction was Etta James.
She had a hard life and was in fact rumored to be the illegitimate daughter of Minnesota Fats. Fats was an old acquaintance of mine who at one time lived about two blocks from my house. I never asked him about it but I know he was a bit on the strange side, he could be your best friend one minute and completely ignore you the next. Personally, I think it could have been true.
Etta was signed to Chess records in the early sixties and had two real hits in her careerm even though she was still touring until the illnes stopped her. Most known for her hit "At Last" she also hit the pop charts with "Tell Mama".
She had a voice that could melt stone and make the goosebumps rise on a dead man. I don't think that even Aretha Franklin could best herm and I'm a BIG Aretha fan.
Another of the heroes of my youth is gone and it leaves me saddened and down. Maybe I'll put on some blues.
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daisyjane
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Dr. Ziggy Mütter-Job
bluestocking babe
Jonathan Wolfman
skypixie0
Salon.com
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Thank you for letting us know.
What a voice is silnced.
r.
"She had a voice that could melt stone and make the goosebumps rise on a dead man." Amen to that. I loved me some Etta James.
Lezlie
But, damn, it still gives me goosebumps.
The least we can do.
HUGGGGGGGGGGGGG
♥
Now, I have a question for the editors. Since the post here was the first of such posts and I notified you of the breaking news as you asked us to do why then did you choose to feature a post that was put up several minutes after my own that is incredibly similar? Was it the fact that I mentioned Minnesota Fats? Did you disbelieve my own acquaintance with the man? Since my address is Dowell Illinois and so was his for many years, why is that hard to believe? Rudolph Wanderone lived here for a good portion of his life and was even interviewed by Rolling Stone magazine at Jackie's Tavern here. Send me a registered letter and I can easily prove I live here, let me show you my high school transcripts to prove that I lived here when he did also. He had an affinity for short pants, animals, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. He was always willing to talk to people at the grocery store (he preferred Kroger's) and was well known for helping out people in need with pet expenses like paying vet bills and buying food for them. Just curious and I hold no grudge or make any accusations of the other poster and had the posts not read in such a similar fashion I wouldn't have questioned the decision at all. They are your picks too, you have the right to choose who you wish and that is beyond question as well, still I am curious about how such decisions are made if only to help me provide better content for Open Salon.