With a range of material that would render most singers helpless, the truly legendary Etta James shows that when it comes to music that speaks to the soul, she is virtually peerless. Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, James’ influence on singers reaches across generations … from Diana Ross to Janis Joplin to Bonnie Raitt and beyond. It was bandleader and talent scout, Johnny Otis who first discovered her in San Francisco in 1954 and immediately whisked her into the studio to record “Roll with Me Henry.” The saucy song shot to #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and was covered by Georgia Gibbs in a version titled “Dance with Me Henry” that also topped the pop charts in 1955. Signed with Chess Records in 1960, James would stay with the most groundbreaking label for the next sixteen years. From such 60’s hits as “At Last,” “All I Could Do Was Cry,” “My Dearest Darling,” “Trust in Me,” “Something’s Got a Hold on Me,” “Tell Mama,” “Fool That I Am” and “Don’t Cry Baby,” she achieved an incredible string of charting songs … ranking third just behind Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick as the most prolific female R&B hit maker of the year. “A singer of unprecedented power and appeal” was how Rolling Stone described James on the eve of her 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two years later, she garnered her first Grammy, after nine nominations, for her Private Music debut album, Mystery Lady: The Songs of Billie Holliday. Her most recent album, All The Way was released in 2006 and features her interpretations of such diverse classics as Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," John Lennon's "Imagine" and Prince's "Purple Rain." James received a NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy’s National Trustees in recognition of her outstanding creative contributions in 2003. That same year she received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame commemorating her extraordinary recording career. Today she is being portrayed by singer-actress Beyoncé Knowles in the film, Cadillac Records which was released to theatres on December 5th. Etta James will be making her debut at the River Rock Casino Resort and at the Boulevard Casino’s Red Robinson Show Theatre in January, 2009.

Tickets: Golden Circle $67.50 | Orchestra $54.50 | plus service charges