etta james
DESCRIPTION
Etta James. By: Kristen Kirkham. Life. Born as Jamesetta Hawkins Born Jan. 25, 1938 Died Jan. 25, 2012 Started Career in 1954. Etta’s mother was only 14 (Dorothy Hawkins) Never knew father Due to the absence of her mother, Etta lived with many foster parents. ( Sarge & Mama Lu). - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
ETTA JAMES
By: Kristen Kirkham
LIFE
Born as Jamesetta Hawkins
Born Jan. 25, 1938
Died Jan. 25, 2012
Started Career in 1954
Etta’s mother was only 14 (Dorothy Hawkins)
Never knew father
Due to the absence of her mother, Etta lived with many foster parents. (Sarge & Mama Lu)
EARLY CAREER
Etta’s first vocal training was from James Earle Hines.
Baptist Church
Sarge tried to have Hines pay Etta
Sarge would wake Etta and beat her to sing for his friends.
She developed a reluctance for singing on demand
MID CAREER
Etta was inspired by doo-wop
Formed a group “The Peaches”
Johnny Otis Helped the group sign to Modern Records and changed Jamesetta’s name to Etta James
LATER LIFE
Developed a heroin addiction
Continuously in and out of rehabilitation
Developed leukemia
Doo-wop and Blues style
Doo-wop: group harmony, a wide range of vocal parts, nonsense syllables, a simple beat, light instrumentation, and simple music and lyrics.
Blues: 12-bar form built on the I, IV, and V chords, A scale with a flatted third, fifth, and sometimes a seventh, poetic form, Lyrics often stories or emotions, guitar, piano.
ETTA & THE PEACHES
The Wallflower or Roll With Me Henery (Harmony, upbeat, simple lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od2CfBHAtt4
Hold Me, Squeeze Me (Harmony, simple beat, light instrument)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qb0JELVusE
POPULAR SONGS
“At last” (story, emotion, guitar…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-cbOl96RFM
“I’d Rather Go Blind” (Electric guitar, hovering organ, emotional)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9sq3ME0JHQ&feature=
kp
REFERENCES
http://www.americansongwriter.com/2012/01/etta-james-id-rather-go-blind
/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James
http://www.biography.com/people/etta-james-9542558