https://www.raresoulm...-james-uk-album

Look at the image on the cover then read John's flowery patter...

If that's Etta James I'm an Anorexic Supermodel.

Edited January 31, 201213 yr by pikeys dog

I saw that and wondered what he was thinking - that's not Etta.

Edited February 1, 201213 yr by the yank

https://www.raresoulm...-james-uk-album

Look at the image on the cover then read John's flowery patter...

If that's Etta James I'm an Anorexic Supermodel.

I'm not so sure. For some reason the album image in the link is distorted. The album cover is rectangular and not square as it should be, so the face is narrowed and lengthened.

The undistorted image is much more of a likeness:

Now what do you reckon? I say it's Etta.

- Kev

Edited February 1, 201213 yr by KevinKent

as great as ettas voice was she wasnt no looker..in fact id put her looks on a par with a man of the same surname....sid JAMES

as great as ettas voice was she wasnt no looker..in fact id put her looks on a par with a man of the same surname....sid JAMES

or pigsy from MONKEY

as great as ettas voice was she wasnt no looker..in fact id put her looks on a par with a man of the same surname....sid JAMES

or pigsy from MONKEY

That's a bit unnecessary mate.

I get a bit tired of your jokey quips when they are all you can add to serious threads, and in this case your timing makes it offensive.

Edited February 1, 201213 yr by KevinKent

What's the LP like, must be very early r & b stuff?

What's the LP like, must be very early r & b stuff?

Yes Pete, very early r & b. Not to my taste at all. JM has supplied a handful of soundclips if you follow the link in the first post.

- Kev

Yes Pete, very early r & b. Not to my taste at all. JM has supplied a handful of soundclips if you follow the link in the first post.

- Kev

Cheers Kev, does anyone remember that amazing footage I put up of her singing Roll With Me Henry at some nightclub in the 50's? Youtube took it down, it might be back up again, I don't know, but I got a letter from her manager asking if I could do Etta a copy of the entire footage, which I duly did, a few weeks later I got a lovely colour 8 x 10 autographed photo of Etta. I still think the autograph was done by the manager to be honest, but it was a nice gesture. This was about 6 or 7 years ago.

What's the LP like, must be very early r & b stuff?

It's a mixture of early r & b , big band type stuff and a bit of rock n roll , i don't own it but with the sad passing of Etta i listened to her stuff on Spotify a few weeks ago and that was one of the albums i played , quite nice too if you like the early sound.

Edited February 1, 201213 yr by shinehead

Wow, that's a nice little story Pete. I haven't seen that footage, but I'd like to even though I don't particularly like that track.

Anyway what do you reckon of the album cover - is it Etta or not?

- Kev

Wow, that's a nice little story Pete. I haven't seen that footage, but I'd like to even though I don't particularly like that track.

Anyway what do you reckon of the album cover - is it Etta or not?

- Kev

Er..I'll sit on the fence with this one, it could be, but I actually thought she was lighter skinned than that

Er..I'll sit on the fence with this one, it could be, but I actually thought she was lighter skinned than that

I thought she was lighter skinned too, but on viewing a gallery of her photo's I'm still not sure. She looks darker in some but they're black & white photo's so still difficult to judge.

I wonder if her skin tone could have lightened over the years, either naturally or cosmetically? Maybe even to make her more acceptable to a wider American market. A shame if that is the case, but understandable I guess.

- Kev

That's definitely not Etta James. It was not unusual for R&B albums of the time to be housed in artwork not remotely connected to the artists. Regarding Etta James's ethnic background her father was rumoured to be the caucasian pool player Rudy 'Minnesota Fats' Wanderon. Her mother was of mixed Filipino-African American heritage.

That's definitely not Etta James. It was not unusual for R&B albums of the time to be housed in artwork not remotely connected to the artists. Regarding Etta James's ethnic background her father was rumoured to be the caucasian pool player Rudy 'Minnesota Fats' Wanderon. Her mother was of mixed Filipino-African American heritage.

I think she also took up the white wig almost near the start of her singing career

haha. so am I wrong about the wig or did she sometimes not wear it or was it just not in this picture? I'm pretty sure I've seen pics of her before this LP with the wig, but I guess I could be wrong.

thats Etta, with her eyes painted on.

That's definitely not Etta James. It was not unusual for R&B albums of the time to be housed in artwork not remotely connected to the artists.

Hmmm, now I'm begining to doubt myself.

Difficult though 'cos I've known a few females that look good in reclining mode, but then look totally different in the morning!

I just thought the doubt was caused by the image in the link (initial post) being distorted - and therefore looking nothing like Etta. Whereas without that distortion there is some resemblance.

Any room on that fence Pete?

- Kev.

The trademark beautyspot is missing on the said picture on the album sleeve , also the sleeve to the etta album Etta James Sings seems to have a lady on it who seems not to be Etta

now i'm totally lost

I'm guessing that like many entertainers she had a variety of wigs but her signature look was as a blonde and that was the way she seemed to want to present herself through almost her entire career.

An early publicity photo of The Peaches with a fairly young Etta:

now i'm totally lost

Do want a A to Z to help you ?

Do want a A to Z to help you ?

I don't know what that means, sorry. I'm just saying now there's multiple pictures posted and I'm not sure which picture anyone is talking about when they are talking about. So is the consensus that that first picture is not etta? Now there's a pic of an early etta with a blonde wig.

I don't know what that means, sorry. I'm just saying now there's multiple pictures posted and I'm not sure which picture anyone is talking about when they are talking about. So is the consensus that that first picture is not etta? Now there's a pic of an early etta with a blonde wig.

The picture we're talking about is on the link in post number 1.

I mentioned that I thought she was lighter skinned, and then someone started going on about blonde hair.

The trademark beautyspot is missing on the said picture on the album sleeve , also the sleeve to the etta album Etta James Sings seems to have a lady on it who seems not to be Etta

I'd noticed that, but percieved defects often get airbrushed out at some stage. ......I think I'm clutching at straws now though!

You got a scan of the Etta James Sings album to post up?

-Kev.

I'd noticed that, but percieved defects often get airbrushed out at some stage. ......I think I'm clutching at straws now though!

You got a scan of the Etta James Sings album to post up?

-Kev.

Put a search on Discogs you'll find there.

There are a variety of reasons why Ember would have used a library photo for the cover of that album: rights issues, cost issues and also the now uncomfortable idea the identity of the black woman on an album cover didn't matter as long as it was a black woman.

Bottom line is that's not Etta James. Not even remotely!

it's good that this issue is resolved.

i still don't know what an "A to Z" is though.

it's good that this issue is resolved.

i still don't know what an "A to Z" is though.

Street maps .

it's good that this issue is resolved.

i still don't know what an "A to Z" is though.

An A to Z is a streetmap guide to a town or city, lists all the roads etc in alphabetical order with a grid reference so you can find them on the map

Street maps .

OK I get it now, thanks

There are a variety of reasons why Ember would have used a library photo for the cover of that album: rights issues, cost issues and also the now uncomfortable idea the identity of the black woman on an album cover didn't matter as long as it was a black woman.

Bottom line is that's not Etta James. Not even remotely!

Also Ember specialised in reissuing old material from then current artists, so their releases of james Brown, ray Charles, Roy Orbison etc often didn't have a picture of the actual artist on the cover.

as great as ettas voice was she wasnt no looker..in fact id put her looks on a par with a man of the same surname....sid JAMES

As someone once said of Sid "He has a face like an Unmade bed " LOL

Had a Babs Lewis LP once with nothing but a big facial shot of some white lass on the cover....

Will the real Etta James please stand up.

Had a Babs Lewis LP once with nothing but a big facial shot of some white lass on the cover....

Saw a photo of Jackie Wison once, and he looked like a big fat white darts player.

- Kev.

Here's a clip of Etta with Filipino looks,beauty spot....Blonde wig....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8pcNIGjJX0&feature=related

Had a Babs Lewis LP once with nothing but a big facial shot of some white lass on the cover....

You might like to re-phrase part of that Mark.

The picture is also used on the Crown LP Lightning Hopkins Sings The Blues:

(scan from https://www.bsnpubs.com)

Edited February 1, 201213 yr by mshoals

The picture is also used on the Crown LP Lightnin' Hopkins Sings The Blues::

She looks even less like Lightnin Hopkins

Didn't know Lightning Hopkins was that good a looker!!

Similarly Tami Lynn wasn't too happy when we were talking about her French ep with a white girl on the sleeve, but have a great photo posing with Harvey Scales where we're holding up a 60s Euro ps of his where instead of any attempt at a picture of him there's just a drawing of.... an empty sofa, we tried figuring out what they meant by that but came up totally blank.

I suppose now is also not the time to ask if anyone has got this LP or any of Etta's early LP's for sale cheap?

Had a Babs Lewis LP once with nothing but a big facial shot of some white lass on the cover....

Berry Gordy's influence went far beyond the music, especially on UK LP covers.

A white set of Isley Brothers, having had a sex change, is a good example!

The picture is also used on the Crown LP Lightnin' Hopkins Sings The Blues::

Hey, isn't that Etta James?

OK I concede defeat. No problem - I'm quite used to being wrong about most things!

- Kev

haha. so am I wrong about the wig or did she sometimes not wear it or was it just not in this picture? I'm pretty sure I've seen pics of her before this LP with the wig, but I guess I could be wrong.

Ha looks chinese

Edited February 3, 201213 yr by Guest

What's the LP like, must be very early r & b stuff?

Yes - it's a reissue of a US budget LP, "Miss Etta James" which was originally issued on Crown in the early '60s. It's a compilation of some of the sides she recorded for Modern around 1955 / 56. Good LP though, and worth buying if only for "Roll With Me Henry" and "Good Rockin' Daddy".

I should also mention that the Crown LP had a plain art sleeve, and no picture of ANY artist. Sadly, it's not the first time that Etta James identity has been compromised. When "The Pick-Up" was 'released' in Jamaica on Kent, it was called "Crazy Feelings" and was credited to Donna Hightower (see scan below)! Guess that's what one of the sound system DJs played it as to stop their rivals getting a copy!

Edited February 8, 201213 yr by Gene-R