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It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.
Etta James
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Etta James
Age: 73 †
Born: 1938
Born: January 25
Died: 2012
Died: January 20
Jazz Musician
Musician
Recording Artist
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
LA
California
Jamesetta Hawkins
Miss Peaches
Song
Tribute
Artist
Paying
Originals
Original
Artists
Record
Songs
Records
Battling
More quotes by Etta James
When Malcolm X was assassinated I was working at the Apollo. They brought his body to the Unity Funeral Home, which was around the corner.
Etta James
You know, YOUR President, the one with the big ears-he ain't my President - had that woman singing for him at his Inauguration. She's going to get her [expletive] whooped. How dare Beyonce sing MY song that I been singing forever. Now I'm going to sing it for y'all.
Etta James
I figured I could do It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World because I believe it's the truth.
Etta James
Johnny Guitar... just one of my favorite singers of all time. I met him when we were both on the road with Johnny Otis in the '50s when I was a teenager. We traveled the country in a car together.I would hear him sing every night.
Etta James
A few years ago, I thought, I'll never make it. I started to go to the doctor to help me lose weight.
Etta James
I was originally like a punker, know what I mean, like the punks are today, I'd spit in a minute.
Etta James
I like to shop, but I don't like to go out to dances.
Etta James
All the things I used to like - cookies, ice cream, gumbo - I don't like anymore.
Etta James
I was a sloppy kid, wanted to be just wild.
Etta James
When I'm performing for the people, I am me, then. I am that little girl who, when she was five years old, used to sing at church. Or I'm that 15-year-old young lady who wanted to be grown and wanted to sing and couldn't wait to be smokin' a cigarette, you know?
Etta James
When I sing for myself, I probably sing for anyone who has any kind of hurt, any kind of bad feelings, good feelings, ups and downs, highs and lows, that kind of thing.
Etta James
Jazz took too much discipline. You have to come in at the right place, which is different than me singing the blues, where I can sing, 'Oh, baby,' if there's a pause in the melody. With jazz, you better leave that space open, or put in something real cool.
Etta James
When I look out at the people and they look at me and they're smiling, then I know that I'm loved. That is the time when I have no worries, no problems.
Etta James
I've gone through so much in my life. I should have been dead a long time ago, but I am still here, and I'm the happiest I've ever been.
Etta James
My mother always wanted me to be glamorous. When I thought about that, it really fired me up, and once I lost all those pounds, I started to feel really good about myself.
Etta James
Long as I was riding in a big Cadillac and dressed nice and had plenty of food, that's all I cared about.
Etta James
I don't care who's playing. Even if it's my favorite artist, I'm probably not gonna go and see him.
Etta James
I'm not starry eyed, and I'm not money crazy.
Etta James
I really turned into, you know, the real street kid. I was kind of like a runaway, but I had a mother, you know what I mean, and I had a place to stay.
Etta James
My mother always wanted me to be a jazz singer, but I always wanted to be raunchy.
Etta James
