Voices to hear: Etta James at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2006

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Etta James at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2006

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HOPE WAITS

Hope was born the 7^th of 12 children on the Bayou Desaird in Monroe, Louisiana. Her childhood was one of poverty, abuse and neglect. But as Hope says “Basic needs were rarely met, and the abuse was astounding; but I love my family and I would never want anyone to feel sorry for me.” At the age of 15 Hope got on a Greyhound bus and went to live with an older sister in South Carolina. Her home situation did not allow her to express her love for secular music, so she learned to sing in the church. She started writing songs at an early age, but hid them from fear of her living conditions. After leaving home she realized she wanted to learn to express herself through music. It was while she was living with her sister in South Carolina that she first heard the voice of the woman who would become her musical idol – Billie Holiday. But before Hope could move farther into music her mother was murdered back in Louisiana. It’s a case that is still open. A few weeks after her mother’s death Hope picked up a guitar and began learning songs by Ani Difranco and Joni Mitchell. She realized that she wanted to be a song writer and perform her own material. She began touring across the south in jazz and pop bands and as a solo artist, finally moving to Los Angeles. It was here she met producer Peter Malick (Norah Jones, Otis Spann) and they recorded her self titled debut album.

photo @ Hope Waits

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Etta James at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2006

0 comments:

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