To me, the legendary Miss Etta James was a storyteller. Her prose was raw, diction superb, as with her instrument she embodied every single emotion and utilized it through her music to where she scribed musical narratives. It made her be in a class of her own and this relentless power is what lingers into her legacy. Often times when someone comes along to try and match or compete with that kind of power, it's a bit tough to swallow. Hence why I wasn't exactly buying Beyoncé or even Christina Aguilera when they had their turns at covering Miss James, as with all their good intent, it's as the song says: "Ain't nothin' like the real thing, baby."
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So I admit that I tread with tiny caution over the news that Leela James is paying tribute to her vocal idol with her upcoming Shanachie release, In the Spirit of Etta James, a project produced in Nashville with GRAMMY-winning producers Shannon Sanders and Drew Ramsey that will cover signature classics and as well as original material inspired by Etta.
No relation to Etta in DNA but in vibe, Leela (whom adopted the "James" sir name based on being compared vocally to the late icon) knows how to capture with her voice, as her trio of albums, featuring the 2005 breakout hit, A Change It Gonna Come, will tell you so. What began as Leela paying tribute to just one Etta song ended up blossoming into a full project, and she'll be covering the obscure to the signature cuts such as "I'd Rather Go Blind," "Something's Got a Hold On Me," and yes, she's going to take on the immortal "At Last."
So maybe I shouldn't have such qualms considering Leela's superb vocal abilities and her having nothing but love and admiration for Etta and her legacy. Plus the kernel of wisdom to take from tribute albums always is that it allows those who haven't engaged in Etta James and her stories to fully do so another way, which can lead to opening the door to further sound exploration -- and isn't that what makes music the adventure it is? Get In the Spirit of Etta James when it hits stores this June.
