Valerie June on Etta James' "At Last!" (1960)

In January 1960, 22 year-old Etta James began recording her debut album, At Last! It would go on to be her best selling record and the title track is undoubtedly one of the greatest songs ever to be put on wax. Etta lived the blues and effortlessly moved through pop, R&B, and rock. She went on to release countless more records, but never reached the commercial success of At Last, partially due to the changing musical landscape and her struggles with addiction throughout her life.
Singer/songwriter Valerie June sits down with us to talk about the legacy of Etta James, what separated Etta's voice from her contemporaries, and how khakis introduced Oliver to an Etta classic.
More on Valerie June
Check out Valerie's new track "Call Me A Fool"
Valerie's Tiny Desk Concert
Twitter | Instagram
More on Etta James
Etta live at Montreux 1975
Etta's interview on Fresh Air
Show Tracklisting (all songs from At Last! unless otherwise indicated):
At Last
My Heart Cries
Valerie June: You Can't Be Told
Girl of My Dreams
It's A Crying Shame
Trust In Me
Aretha Franklin & Lou Rawls: At Last
Aretha Franklin: Skylark (Alternate Version)
Valerie June: Workin' Woman Blues
Etta James: I'd Rather Go Blind (Live at Montreux)
Valerie June: Cosmic Dancer
All I Could Do Was Cry
A Sunday Kind of Love
At Last
A Sunday Kind of Love
Anything to Say You're Mine
If I Can't Have You
Tough Mary
At Last
Etta James: The Sound of Love
Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto: In The Basement
Etta James: Champagne & Wine
Here is the Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there
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