Etta James - Something Got A Hold On MeLove the ski jumper, like what James Brown wore in the film Ski Party, from about the same time as this clip, JB will follow soon!
Born Jamesetta Hawkins, 25 January 1938, Los Angeles, California, USA. James' introduction to performing followed an impromptu audition for Johnny Otis backstage at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium. "Roll With Me Henry", her "answer" to the Hank Ballard hit "Work With Me Annie", was retitled "The Wallflower" in an effort to disguise its risque lyric and became an R&B number 1.
"Good Rockin' Daddy" provided another hit, but the singer's later releases failed to chart. Having secured a contract with the Chess Records group of labels, James, also known as Miss Peaches, unleashed a series of powerful songs, including "All I Could Do Was Cry" (1960), probably the best ever version of "At Last" (1961), "Trust In Me" (1961), "Don't Cry Baby" (1961), "Something's Got A Hold On Me" (1962), "Stop The Wedding" (1962) and "Pushover" (1963). She also recorded several duets with Harvey Fuqua.
Heroin addiction sadly blighted both James' personal and professional life, but in 1967 Chess took her to the Fame studios. The resultant Tell Mama was a triumph, and pitted James' abrasive voice with the exemplary Muscle Shoals house band.
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