This morning, iconic soul singer Etta James passed away at the age of 73. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame, she had one of the most powerful voices in American music. Using her remarkable, emotionally expressive range, James could effortlessly convey everything from deep sorrow to playful flirtation. She was the recipient of four Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement award in 2003. In case you can’t tell, she was also one of my favorite singers of all time. Words don’t do her justice, so listen instead – here are some of Etta’s best songs. Read More »

You know how everyone loves to pick apart celebrity outfits — and also listen to awesome music, perferably at the same time? Well, Fashion Rocks 2008 is the answer to your worst dressed / best song hankerings.

The night was full of sequins, Beyonce belting out Etta James and dueting with Justin Timberlake, Rihanna sporting some serious scary feathers, and the continuation of trend that is celebs using their time to fight cancer. Although not everyone hit a home run on the red carpet fashion department (I’m looking at both of you, Solange and Tyra), the night looked a hell of a lot better than say…the MTV VMAs. At least people, you know, took the time to attempt classiness.

After the jump, peruse through some of the night’s more famous faces and click on the pics to see even more… Read More »

There’s something about listening to a woman tear her heart open onstage…husky voice dripping in longing, captivating eyes staring out at the audience, that is truly beautiful.

Women with soul speak for all of us who have gone through heartbreak, fallen in love, cried on the bathroom floor when our hearts fell into the pit of our stomachs after seeing our ex with his new girl… We’ve all been there, and the women who sing about it have been there too, putting everything we’ve cried and screamed about into words.

Though there are always the classics; Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald among countless others, there are women breaking new ground with the same grit, the same heart-wrenching confessions at the mic, and the same beautiful voices gliding over bossa nova grooves, brass, and funky drum beats.

These women have it all. So light some candles, pour yourself a glass of wine and feel empowered, cry, remember, whatever…they’ll take you somewhere and I promise they’ll hold your heart in the palm of their hands the entire time.

*Duffy: when I say she’s going to give Amy Winehouse a run for her money, I mean it.

Download: Rockferry and Mercy Read More »