98 Quotes by Etta James

Bobby Womack is always very real, both with his music and as a person.

My mother used to play nothing but Billie Holiday.

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.

My mother was a jazz fanatic and she wanted me to play the piano so I could play jazz tunes. I wish I had learned but I was too busy getting into trouble!

They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.

But even so, I still get nervous before I go onstage.

I'm not starry eyed, and I'm not money crazy.

It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.

Now I can stand up on the stage again like I used to after five years of sitting down while I sang.