ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Etta James Makes The US Album Chart, ‘At Last’

The patience of the young R&B singer was rewarded on August 21, 1961, with an LP named after one of most famous songs.

Published on

Etta James 'At Last' artwork - Courtesy: UMG
Etta James 'At Last' artwork - Courtesy: UMG

Etta James was a mere 17 when she had her first R&B success, in 1955, with “The Wallflower.” Her chart record immediately thereafter was up and down, to say the least, but she did reach a new goal on August 21, 1961, when her patience was rewarded with her first US chart album. Aptly, it was called At Last.

Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is
Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is
Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is

James scored another R&B chart entry towards the end of 1955 with “Good Rockin’ Daddy,” but then had to wait until 1960 for any further sales action. Then she began a run of both soul and pop entries with such fine singles as “All I Could Do Was Cry” and “My Dearest Darling” that culminated in the early 1961 success of one of her most famous and enduring ballads, the much-covered “At Last.”

Click to load video

That song went to No.2 R&B, produced a Top 5 follow-up on that chart with “Trust In Me,” the Top 20 “Fool That I Am” and then yet another Top 10 winner in “Don’t Cry, Baby.” Then the album named after that “At Last” smash finally gave her a toe-hold on the Billboard album chart in that summer week in 1961, making its first showing at No.141. The LP was produced by her paymasters at Chess Records, the company’s founding brothers Phil and Leonard Chess.

Listen to uDiscover Music’s Etta James Best Of playlist.

At Last was actually released by Chess even before the title track single that went on to be an Etta trademark, but took all of nine months to make that debut. It climbed to No.69, in a 12-week run, and before the end of the year, Etta — now aged 23 — had a modest pop chart single that didn’t make the R&B list, the double-sided “It’s Too Soon To Know” and “Seven Day Fool.” At last, she was getting the consistent recognition she deserved.

Buy or stream Etta James’ At Last.

Click to comment
Comments are temporarily disabled and will return shortly.
Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Cheaper Than Cheep
Super Deluxe Edition Box Set
ORDER NOW
ABBA
ABBA
ABBA (50th Anniversary)
Color Vinyl Box Set
ORDER NOW
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
The Emancipation of Mimi: 20th Anniversary Edition 5LP Box Set
ORDER NOW
Keyshia Cole
Keyshia Cole
The Way It Is
Limited Edition Rose Garden 2LP
ORDER NOW
Yusuf / Cat Stevens
Yusuf / Cat Stevens
Saturnight (Live in Tokyo)
Limited Edition LP
ORDER NOW
Steely Dan
Steely Dan
The Royal Scam
LP
ORDER NOW
uDiscover Music - Back To Top
uDiscover Music - Back To Top