Valerie June on Etta James’ “At Last!” (1960)

Episode notes

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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