A few years ago, I thought, I'll never make it. I started to go to the doctor to help me lose weight.

quote by Etta James
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It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.

quote by Etta James
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I'm not a braggart, but when I was a little girl people used to come from all over Hollywood to hear me sing.

quote by Etta James
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It's the same thing now. When I go onstage the young people scream and holler as much as the older generation.

quote by Etta James
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And as I started reaching deeper I realized that most of the blues of that day was done by men. Women just didn't have the nerve.

quote by Etta James
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Most of the songs I sing have that blues feeling in it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about. I don't.

quote by Etta James
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What happens is, when I perform, I'm somewhere else. I go back in time and get in touch with who I really am. I forget my troubles, my worries.

quote by Etta James
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My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that.

quote by Etta James
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When I look out at the people and they look at me and they're smiling, then I know that I'm loved. That is the time when I have no worries, no problems.

quote by Etta James
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My mother was a jazz fanatic and she wanted me to play the piano so I could play jazz tunes. I wish I had learned but I was too busy getting into trouble!

quote by Etta James
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