Etta James, Groundbreaking R&B Singer, R. I. P.

Etta James, a Grammy Award-winning singer whose forceful renditions of "At Last," I'd Rather Go Blind," "Tell Mama," and "Something's Got A Hold On Me" made her a widely admired interpreter of love and pain and one of the first rhythm-and-blues singers to gain mainstream popularity, passed away on Friday at a Riverside, California hospital at age 73.


Miss James had been diagnosed with dementia and leukemia.


For followers of mid-1950s R&B music, here's Etta's 1955 recording of "The Wallflower,"  which was her answer to Hank Ballard and the Midnighters' "Work With Me Annie."  Etta's record scored very well on the R&B charts, only to see Georgia Gibbs come up with a cover recording that wound up a big hit on the pop charts.  Etta's record became known as either "Roll With Me, Henry" or "Dance With Me Henry," the latter was the name of Georgia's cover.

Johnny Otis, Rhythm and Blues Pioneer, R. I. P.

Johnny Otis, a pioneering rhythm-and-blues singer, songwriter, drummer, bandleader and disc jockey best remembered for his 1958 hit, "Willie and the Hand Jive," passed away on Tuesday in the Los Angeles area at the age of 90.


Here's a Capitol 45RPM record of Johnny's 1958 hit.

Reverend John "Bootsie" Wilson, R.I.P.

Reverend John "Bootsie" Wilson, the last surviving member of the Philadelphia-based R&B vocal group The Silhouettes (of "Get A Job" fame), passed away last Monday at his Spartanburg, South Carolina home at age 75.

He joined the group in 1961 (three years after they recorded their only major hit) after the departure of the group's original lead singer.

The Philadelphia-born Reverend Wilson moved to South Carolina in 1972 and became a minister.