During Etta’s early days at Chess, she was very open in having a relationship with Harvey Fuqua, member of the Moonglows and later played a pivotal role in the formation of Motown Records.

What is Etta James ethnicity?

Jamesetta Hawkins was born in Los Angeles on 25 Jan 1938, the illegitimate daughter of a 14-year-old African-American girl and a white father whom James never met.

What did Etta James think of Beyonce?

During her gig last week, the 70-year-old savaged Beyoncé’s performance. “The great Beyoncé,” James sneered. “I can’t stand Beyoncé. She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol’ president day, gonna be singing my song that I’ve been singing forever.”

Did Etta James sleep with Len Chess?

He also takes issue with the onscreen love affair between Leonard and Etta James. “Now, my father was no angel, but [he] was never caught in an affair,” Chess said. “It never happened.” He even asked James, a longtime friend, and she told him, “He kissed me on the cheek once.”

Is Leela James related to Etta James?

The talented R&B singer shares why she’s dedicating her new album to the late icon. Leela James shares the same last name as the late legendary blues woman Etta James.

Who started Cadillac Records?

Leonard Chess was the co-founder of the 1950s American record label Chess Records, located in Chicago, Illinois. He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and ’60s.

Was Etta James Black or white?

*Etta James was born on this date in 1938. She was a Black singer. Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles to 14-year-old Dorothy Hawkins. James’ father was white and has never been identified but James speculated that he was the pool player, Rudolf “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone.

Was Etta James addicted?

James encountered a string of legal problems during the early 1970s due to her heroin addiction. She was continuously in and out of rehabilitation centers, including the Tarzana Treatment Centers, in Los Angeles, California.

Did Etta James think Minnesota Fats was her father?

James died last week in Riverside, Calif., at age 73 and coverage of her death included that she never knew her father but believed it was Minnesota Fats, whose real name was Rudolf Wondrone.

What happened to Muddy Waters?

Muddy Waters died in his sleep from heart failure, at his home in Westmont, Illinois, on April 30, 1983, from cancer-related complications.

Who did Etta James write I’d rather go blind for?

Etta James penned this Southern blues classic during a visit to her friend Ellington “Fugi” Jordan in prison in 1967. The Detroit singer and songwriter had already outlined the song, in which he poured out his grief from being incarcerated not knowing when he would be released.