Etta James caught lightning in a bottle with this fierce document of rhythm, blues, and soul. Jamesetta Hawkins began singing in church at the age of five and formed a doo-wop group the Creolettes which led to her meeting with Johnny Otis.
In 1955, she had a number one R&B hit with 'The Wallflower', which she co-wrote with Otis and Hank Ballard, and had a string of top ten R&B singles leading up to her classic debut album 'At Last!' in 1961. She continued to have hit singles and the decision was made to record a live album to try and capture her fiery performances.
In 1955, she had a number one R&B hit with 'The Wallflower', which she co-wrote with Otis and Hank Ballard, and had a string of top ten R&B singles leading up to her classic debut album 'At Last!' in 1961. She continued to have hit singles and the decision was made to record a live album to try and capture her fiery performances.
Leonard Chess produced the album which was recorded at the New Era Club in Nashville, Tennessee on September 27 and 28, 1963. The shows featured Etta James on vocals; David T. Walker on guitar; Marion Wright on bass; Freeman Brown and Richard Waters on drums; Vonzell Cooper on organ; and Gavrell Cooper on tenor saxophone. 'Etta James Rocks The House' charted at number ninety-six on the Billboard 200 album chart.
James would reveal in 1978 for NME: "I was originally like a punker, know what I mean, like the punks are today, I'd spit in a minute...Then I think, I don't know, I wanna make money but I don't probably never wanna be cool about it, you know what I mean? I would never be cool about it. I would never give a shit whether I worked Las Vegas or Lake Tahoe or not. I'm not a bourgeois person, never will be. I could work Dingwalls forever because I'm used to that kind of joint...what the heck would I know? In 25 years I've never worked the Ritz; I've worked nothing but places that look like Dingwalls. And for those kind of people, that stand there and scream all night, and when you get through they're mad because you don't come back, that's my kind of people...See, I don't like places where people can't dance – don't like clubs or theaters where a bunch of bourgeois people sit around tip, tip, tipping their fingers."
'Etta James Rocks The House'
full album:
01. Something's Got A Hold On Me (Etta James, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods)
02. Baby What You Want Me To Do (Jimmy Reed) (5:01)
03. What'd I Say (Ray Charles) (9:16)
04. Money (That's What I Want) (Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy, Jr.) (12:31)
05. Seven Day Fool (Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Jr., Sonny Woods) (15:54)
06. Sweet Little Angel (Robert McCollum) (20:15)
07. Ohh Poo Pah Doo (Jessie Hill) (24:30)
08. Woke Up This Morning (B.B. King) (28:35)
09. Ain't That Lovin' You Baby (Jimmy Reed) (32:14)
10. All I Could Do Is Cry (Billy Davis, Gwen Fuqua, Berry Gordy, Jr.) (35:05)
11. I Just Want To Make Love To You (Willie Dixon) (38:27)
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