There’s no question that Etta James was one of the greatest singers of all time.
She won six Grammys throughout her musical career along with many other various awards. She was also ranked number 22 in Rolling Stone Greatest Singers Of All Time. In this performance from 1975, James shows us exactly why her iconic voice is so legendary.
James performs her hit song “I’d Rather Go Blind,'” live at Montreux in 1975 and it’s unbelievably powerful.
The revered artist bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. Her soulful and unique voice is like candy for your ears every time. You don’t want to miss this rare footage that gets up close and personal with the vocal powerhouse.
At the beginning of this video, you can see James wipe the sweat from her brow as she moves on to her famous song, “I’d Rather Go Blind.” The crowd is instantly captivated as James begins singing passionately.
The way she manipulates her vocals from high to low is out of this world.
As James goes through the song, she showcases her earthy voice and it’s absolutely incredible.
There’s something about her that just makes her live performance feel so real and deep.
Every step of the way, James lets her voice sore through the music connecting with the audience in an unmistakable way.
This is beyond impressive—it’s like she’s speaking directly to the fans that have come to watch her perform.
You can see her passion through her facial expressions.
She has so much personality in her singing and it puts onlookers in a trance-like state. She casually walks around the stage with the band playing her music behind her and expresses her self through her singing.
It’s like she’s painting a picture with the story she tells in this song—you can feel the pain in her music and it takes you to another place.
The raw talent she exudes puts you on the edge of your seat! At times, James doesn’t even hold the mic to her mouth while singing but the power in her voice is still evident.
James didn’t have an easy childhood, which likely contributed to the rawness of her artistry.
She’s definitely a great live performer, and the way she engages the audience is so natural. Every time you think it can’t get any better, James takes her vocal range to another level. Not many singers can even come close to hitting notes like this—she’s just downright brilliant!
The legendary singer started her career as a young teenager, forming bonds with many different all-time greats like B.B. King and Elvis Presley.
She had a rough childhood, with an absent mother and father. James was a foster child who was physically abused by men throughout her life. Even so, she overcame her struggles to become one of the best singers of all time.
Since this video was posted, it has been viewed more than 24.2 million times with 234,000 likes.
There’s no mistaking Etta James for anyone else.
Her raspy but smooth voice it too unique to miss, and it’s no surprise she’s considered one of the greatest performers of all time.
To see her inspiring live performance for yourself, watch the video below:
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