Etta James - Good Rockin' Mama

Side 1
01. Dance With Me Henry - Etta James and "The Peaches"
02. Crazy Feeling - Etta James
03. W-O-M-A-N - Etta James
04. I Hope You're Satisfied - Betty And Dupree
05. Strange Things Happening - Etta James

Side 2
01. Good Rockin' Daddy - Etta James
02. Number One - Etta "Miss Peaches"  James
03. Hey! Henry - Etta James
04. I'm A Fool - Etta "Miss Peaches" James
05. That's All - Etta James

Good Rockin' Mama (Mega)

Good Rockin' Mama (Zippy)

Real rockin' 1950s Los Angeles rhythm 'n' blues from precocious chantoozy Jamesetta Hawkins, better known as Etta James. Recorded for the Bihari stable of labels, in this case Modern and Kent, these sides mostly backed by bands led by Maxwell Davis are a whole rompin' and stompin' world away from Etta's Chess sides of the 1960s. The future soul diva is a teenage rocker on this Ace UK ten incher and every track is a gem. Only "The Wallflower" (aka "Dance With Me Henry") and "Good Rockin' Daddy" were big R&B hits but quality shines through the whole album.

"I Hope You're Satisfied" was credited to "Betty And Dupree" who were Etta plus then boyfriend Harvey Fuqua.

The story of how Etta's career started is told on this post of El Enmascarado's shellac rips of her first record which was conceived as an answer record to The Midnighters' "Work With Me Annie" - "The Wallflower" -

The Wallflower / Hold Me, Squeeze Me

 The Tracks

Dance With Me Henry (aka The Wallflower, aka Roll With Me Henry) recorded in Los Angeles, 25th November 1954. Personnel: Etta James and "The Peaches" - Etta James (vocal) with Richard Berry (vocal);  Abbye Mitchell, Jean Mitchell (vocals); Don Johnson (trumpet); Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); Jim Wynn (baritone sax); Devonia Williams (piano); Chuck Norris (guitar); Chuck Hamilton (bass); Leard Bell (drums).

The Wallflower / Hold Me, Squeeze Me by Etta James and "The Peaches" released on Modern 947 in January 1955.

Hey! Henry, Good Rockin' Daddy, Crazy Feeling (aka Do Something Crazy), That's All, W-O-M-A-N were recorded in Los Angeles in 1955. Dates unknown. Personnel: Etta James (vocal) with the Maxwell Davis Orchestra - Maxwell Davis (tenor sax); + 2 other unknown saxes; Devonia Williams (piano); unknown guitar and bass; Leard Bell (drums). Backing vocals - Richard Berry on Hey! Henry; The Dreamers (including Richard Berry and Jesse Belvin) on other tracks except That's All.

Hey! Henry / Be Mine by Etta James released on Modern 957 in May 1955.

Good Rockin' Daddy / Crazy Feeling by Etta James released on Modern 962 in August 1955.

That's All / W-O-M-A-N by Etta James released on Modern 972 in November 1955.

Number One (aka My One And Only), I'm A Fool recorded in Los Angeles, date unknown, personnel (Maxwell Davis Orchestra) perhaps similar to above.

Number One / I'm A Fool by Etta "Miss Peaches" James released on Modern 984 in March 1956.

I Hope You're Satisfied, recorded in Los Angeles in 1958, date unknown. Betty And Dupree (Etta James and Harvey Fuqua) vocals, with unknown band and vocal group.

I Hope You're Satisfied / If It Ain't One Thing by Betty And Dupree released on Kent 318 in February 1959.

Strange Things Happening (aka Strange Things) recording date and personnel unknown. Released on Crown LP 5250 "Twist With Etta James" in 1962.

There's more Etta coming soon on Be Bop Wino - the rockin' station for the hepcat nation!