The Best Of Etta James

I had heard of Etta James but never listened to her music before apart from the well known one" I just want to make love to you". Perhaps during the rock and roll days she was best known in America and to British rock groups who were looking for inspiration. Some of her songs sounded very much like artists around in the 50's and 60's who perhaps had her influence such as Helen Shapiro and Brenda Lee though I am only guessing. She has the rock and roll rawness in her voice for some numbers though also a softer bluesy ballad sound in others. I liked the one "If I can't have you" with Harvey Fuqua which reminded me of Dinah Washington's duet in A Rockin' Good Way ( to mess around and fall in love). It's a pity she didn't have a bigger profile in Britain in the rock and roll days though her influence on other artists is apparent. This disc is a good introduction to her work though it now seems more like nostalgia than modern music. I give it five stars since it is a good compilation of a talented artists work.

Etta James (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was a versatile American singer who from around 1954 had many hits and performed in various genres including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, and gospel, but she had a very chaotic personal life, which probably enriched her music and songs. She was a contralto who had a powerful, earthy voice and won numerous high profile musical awards over her long career. Her voice deepened and coarsened with age, moving her musical style into the genres of soul and jazz.Although relatively successful it wasn’t until the early 1990’s, after she had received major industry awards from the Grammys and the Blues Foundation, that she began to receive much wider international recognition. She is said to have influenced many of today’s top female artists. This album gives a reasonably good overview of her music and is a good introduction, particularly if you’re not familiar with her work, or like me, just want some of the career highlights.

I first heard this Lady's remarkable soulful voice in 1996 when she reached No.5 in the charts with 'I Just Wanna Make Love To You' and then again last September was introduced to her earlier offerings in this World of music we all love so much. What amazed me the most is that she had to wait so long for her first hit record in this country, sometimes our public miss out on so much probably due to the lack of airplay given to certain artists for whatever reason. With her earlier singles such asAll I Could Do Was Cry, At Last, Tell Mama, Something's gotta hold on me etc it justs highlights how great a talent we had to enjoy in the sixties but somehow managed to overlook chartwise. The bluesy great I'd rather go blind typify's her ability to blend herself between two idioms of soul & blues and come up smelling of roses. If you've not listened to this lady then it's high time you did. Terrific Album.

I bought this CD for one track 'At Last' which I heard on radio 2 one morning. The presentator said that Etta James was her favourite at the moment, and I can understand why. I hadn't heard of her, but have since realised that I've got many of her songs on other compilation CDs. Her gritty, throaty style really works, yet when she sings 'At Last' she manages to produce a smooth, lingering sound that is quite different from the other tracks. At this price, this is a not-to-be-missed buy.

Like many singers of her generation, the work of Etta James lives on, through TV advertising, film soundtracks, and sampling. This original work will show that she had so much more to offer. Raw, bluesy and soulful, this is a voice to marvel at. She had power, heart, and feeling in bucket-loads. This CD contains her best-known tracks, as well as some less familiar, but no less classic songs. Tremendous value, so worth buying for a few tracks alone, then getting to know the rest. Excellent.

Love it, my 12yr old son not so much!, although he was surprised how many of the songs he had heard before as they used them on adverts; who could forget the original Diet Coke Ad, that's where I first discovered Etta and haven't looked back since. Lots of popular tracks and a few others. Some I like, some I don't, but that's the same with any album, good starter one for anyone dipping their toe

This has to be the album of choice if you only want one album by Etta .. it has all the hit on one album, this will stop ypou having to filter out the lesser known hits on other albums .. I have a few Atta albums which are mainly on the shelf now, this you can put and and leave, no need to skip songs ..

Quite simply, superb!Who am I to say any different? Contains one of the greatest songs of all time, At Last, sung by one of the best female sigers of all time. Check out other artists on Youtube singing this song. They are all very good but form your own opinion, I hope you agree; Etta's the Best.Nearly forgot, at the price I paid I almost feel guilty, almost.