Etta James 1960 At Last!

After spending a few years in limbo after scoring her first R&B hits "Dance With Me, Henry" and "Good Rocking Daddy," Etta James returned to the spotlight in 1961 with her first Chess release, At Last. James made both the R&B and pop charts with the album's title cut, "All I Could Do Was Cry," and "Trust in Me." What makes At Last a great album is not only the solid hits it contains, but also the strong variety of material throughout. James expertly handles jazz standards like "Stormy Weather" and "A Sunday Kind of Love," as well as Willie Dixon's blues classic "I Just Want to Make Love to You." James demonstrates her keen facility on the title track in particular, as she easily moves from powerful blues shouting to more subtle, airy phrasing; her Ruth Brown-inspired, bad-girl growl only adds to the intensity. James would go on to even greater success with later hits like "Tell Mama," but on At Last one hears the singer at her peak in a swinging and varied program of blues, R&B, and jazz standards.

Etta James was one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, with an incredible soulful voice and an amazing ability to interpret a song and old-fashioned yet timeless melodies. She sang with unmatched emotional hunger and a pain that can chill the listener. This quintessential release includes Etta James’ first two albums, which also happen to be two of her best: At Last ! (1960), and The Second Time Around (1961), both originally released by the Chess Records’ subsidiary Argo label. These two rhythm & blues-meets-pop-soul style masterpieces have been remastered and packaged together in this very special collector’s edition, which also includes 7 bonus tracks. Contained here is the cream of the crop from Etta’s early years. Without a doubt, this is the material upon which her kingdom was built.

It was in the Sixties when Etta James truly found her musical direction and made a lasting mark as a soulful pop and blues diva. Her debut album, At Last!, was released in late 1960 and was noted for its varied choice in music from jazz standards to blues numbers to doo-wop and rhythm & blues. This CD compiles James’ greatest hits. She expertly handles jazz standards like “A Sunday Kind of Love,” as well as Willie Dixon’s blues classic “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” This comprehensive edition gives ample proof of both her amazing singing talents and her extraordinary versatility.

Often recognized as one of the greatest singers of all time, Etta James recorded a dozen classics, which are still performed by all kind of artists all over the world. She performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel. During the years she recorded classics like “The Wallflower”, “I'd Rather Go Blind”, “I Just Want To Make Love To You”, and "Something's Got a Hold on Me". Together with fan favorites and some unknown pearls they're all brought together on the Collected 3CD.

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