The Fillmore District is a historical neighborhood in San Francisco located to the southwest of Nob Hill , west of Market Street and north of the Mission District . The Fillmore District began to rise to prominence after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . As a result of not being affected by the earthquake itself nor the large fires that ensued, it quickly became one of the major commercial and cultural centers of the city.
122-427: Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James , was an American singer and songwriter who performed in various genres, including gospel , blues , jazz , R&B , rock and roll , and soul . Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as " The Wallflower ", " At Last ", " Tell Mama ", " Something's Got a Hold on Me ", and " I'd Rather Go Blind ". She faced
244-593: A Baptist church while in the care of her grandparents. James received her first professional vocal training at the age of five from James Earle Hines, musical director of the Echoes of Eden choir at the St. Paul Baptist Church in South-Central Los Angeles . She became a soloist in the choir despite her young age and performed with them on local radio stations. She quickly gained attention for having
366-516: A call and response fashion, heavily influenced by ancestral African music. Most of the churches relied on hand–clapping and foot–stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Most of the singing was done a cappella . The first published use of the term "gospel song" appeared in 1874. The original gospel songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root , Philip Bliss , Charles H. Gabriel , William Howard Doane , and Fanny Crosby . Gospel music publishing houses emerged. The advent of radio in
488-570: A Hold on Me " has been recognized in many ways. Brussels music act Vaya Con Dios covered the song on their 1990 album Night Owls . Another version, performed by Christina Aguilera , was in the 2010 film Burlesque . Pretty Lights sampled the song in "Finally Moving", followed by Avicii 's dance hit " Levels ", and again in Flo Rida 's single " Good Feeling ". British blues band Chicken Shack recorded Etta James’ 1967 single " I'd Rather Go Blind ", which ended up becoming very successful for
610-475: A blues classic and has been recorded by many other artists. In her autobiography, Rage to Survive , she wrote that she heard the song outlined by her friend Ellington "Fugi" Jordan when she visited him in prison. According to her account, she wrote the rest of the song with Jordan but for tax reasons gave her songwriting credit to her partner at the time, Billy Foster. Following this success, James became an in-demand concert performer, though she never again reached
732-482: A contract with Chess Records instead, with which she would go on to become one of the label's earliest stars. Around this time, she became involved in a relationship with the singer Harvey Fuqua , the founder of the doo-wop group the Moonglows . Musician Bobby Murray toured with James for over 20 years. He wrote that James had her first hit single when she was 15 years old and went steady with B.B. King when she
854-459: A dependency on painkillers . James was hospitalized in January 2010 to treat an infection caused by MRSA , a bacterium resistant to many antibiotics. During her hospitalization, her son Donto revealed to the public that she had been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2008. James was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2011. The illness became terminal, and her husband Artis Mills
976-683: A fact that was commemorated in Albert E. Brumley 's 1937 song, "Turn Your Radio On" (which is still being published in gospel song books). (In 1972, a recording of " Turn Your Radio On " by the Lewis Family was nominated for Gospel Song of the Year .) The Soul Stirrers introduced R.H. Harris, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor. Sensational Nightingales , Swan Silvertones, the Soul Stirrers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and
1098-470: A few different reasons. First, developers would not come to the area because it was likely to cause traffic problems for potential shoppers. Second, there was considerable backlash from proposition 14 that might threaten potential investors development. Finally, developers did not want to invest in commercial stores in the area because there was still a racialized stigma that the Fillmore District
1220-443: A few, began recording music that had this positive Christian country flair. These mainstream artists have now become award winners in this genre. Some proponents of "standard" hymns generally dislike gospel music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, believing that it emphasizes emotion over doctrine. For example, Patrick and Sydnor complain that commercial success led to a proliferation of such music, and "deterioration, even in
1342-531: A joke and stemmed from personal hurt over not having been invited to the sing the song herself for the Obama inauguration. It was later reported that Alzheimer's disease and "drug-induced dementia " had contributed to her negative comments about Knowles. In April 2009, at the age of 71, James made her final television appearance, performing "At Last" on the program Dancing with the Stars . In May 2009, she received
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#17327867945911464-467: A new economic boom in the area. However, both of these statements turned out to be false. The increased housing prices of the redeveloped area would force many of the former residents to move away because they couldn't afford the newly built housing. Also, the envisioned economic boom of the A-2 project never came. Investors and developers were not willing to establish the commercial stores in the rebuilt area for
1586-462: A new religious organization, established its headquarters at 1859 Geary Boulevard, situated on the edge of the Fillmore district. Led by Jim Jones , the church began spreading its message of apostolic socialism and racial integration to the Fillmore district. This resonated well with the residents, who viewed Jones as a promising figure amidst the challenging conditions that followed urban renewal in
1708-633: A number of personal problems, including heroin addiction , severe physical abuse, and incarceration , before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch . James's deep and earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll . She won three Grammy Awards for her albums (2005 - Best Traditional Blues Album for Blues to the Bone ; 2004 - Best Contemporary Blues Album for Let's Roll ; and 1995 - Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female for Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday ) and 17 Blues Music Awards . She
1830-416: A number of quotations similar to the complaints of Patrick and Sydnor. However, he also provided this quotation: "Gospel hymnody has the distinction of being America's most typical contribution to Christian song. As such, it is valid in its inspiration and in its employment." Today, with historical distance, there is a greater acceptance of such gospel songs into official denominational hymnals. For example,
1952-481: A period where the district where migrant groups from Jews to Japanese and then African-Americans predominated. Redevelopment programs in the 1960s led to displacement and loss of the district's jazz and cultural scene. After the 1906 earthquake, Jewish emigrants from Eastern Europe and those displaced from the SOMA district settled in the Fillmore. Jewish-owned businesses opened on Fillmore and McAllister streets to serve
2074-405: A standard which to begin with was not high, resulted." They went on to say, "there is no doubt that a deterioration in taste follows the use of this type of hymn and tune; it fosters an attachment to the trivial and sensational which dulls and often destroys sense of the dignity and beauty which best befit the song that is used in the service of God." Gold reviewed the issue in 1958, and collected
2196-561: A strong voice for a child. Hines often punched her in the chest while she sang to force her voice to come from her gut. Sarge, like the musical director for the choir, was also abusive. During drunken poker games at home, he would awaken James in the early morning hours and force her with beatings to sing for his friends. The trauma of her foster father forcing her to sing under these humiliating circumstances caused her to have difficulties with singing on demand throughout her career. In 1950, Mama Lu died, and James's biological mother took her to
2318-610: A trend of incorporating more jazz elements in James's music. The album won James her first Grammy Award, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female , in 1994. In 1995, her autobiography, Rage to Survive , co-written with David Ritz, was published. Also in 1995, she recorded the album Time After Time . A Christmas album, 12 Songs of Christmas , was released in 1998. By the mid-1990s, James's earlier music—by now considered classic—was being used in commercials, including " I Just Wanna Make Love to You ", for example. After an excerpt of that song
2440-498: A wide variety of musicians, including, notably, Diana Ross , Christina Aguilera , Janis Joplin , Brandy , Bonnie Raitt , Shemekia Copeland , Beth Hart , Hayley Williams of Paramore and Brent Smith of Shinedown as well as British artists The Rolling Stones , Elkie Brooks , Paloma Faith , Joss Stone , Rita Ora , Amy Winehouse , and Adele , and the Belgian singer Dani Klein . In particular, her song " Something's Got
2562-564: Is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair, is also known as inspirational country. Webb Pierce, the Oak Ridge Boys and Granpa Jones recorded Christian country music records. Christian country over the years has progressed into a mainstream country sound with inspirational or positive country lyrics. In the mid–1990s, Christian country hit its highest popularity. This popularity was such that mainstream artists like Larry Gatlin , Charlie Daniels and Barbara Mandrell , just to name
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#17327867945912684-555: Is almost entirely in San Francisco's fifth supervisorial district, with a small sliver on the district's eastern edge in District 3. The Fillmore district was created in the 1880s to provide new space for the city to grow in an effort to address overcrowding. After the 1906 earthquake Fillmore Street, which had largely avoided heavy damage, temporarily became a major commercial center as the city's downtown rebuilt and began
2806-513: Is held annually in July. The Fillmore Fridays Outdoor Music and Cinema Series is held Friday evenings between August and October. The Juneteenth Festival (Emancipation of Enslaved African Americans) is held every June 19. The neighborhood, thanks to its central location, is served by several Muni bus lines including the 22, 21, 24, 38, 31, 43, 47, 49, and 5. In 1971, the Peoples Temple ,
2928-598: Is located in the neighborhood at the corner of Geary Boulevard and Fillmore Street . A major national concert venue famous as the focus point of the psychedelic music scene during the 1960s, it was home to early concerts by Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead among others. In the 1940s and 1950s, it was known as the " Harlem of the West" and attracted many leading jazz performers including Louis Armstrong , John Coltrane , Ella Fitzgerald , Billie Holiday and
3050-823: Is the most well–known form, often seen in Black churches, non–Black Pentecostal and evangelical churches, and in entertainment spaces across the country and world. It originates from the Southeastern United States ("the South"), where most Black Americans lived prior to the Great Migration . This music was highly influenced by the hymnody of the spirituals and of Watts and, later, the musical style and vision of Dorsey. Whereas northern Black churches did not at first welcome Dorsey's music (having become accustomed to their own more Eurocentric flavorings), after
3172-537: The Fillmore district of San Francisco. Within a couple of years, she began listening to doo-wop and was inspired to form a girl group, the Creolettes (so named for the members' light-skinned complexions). At the age of 14, she met musician Johnny Otis . Stories on how they met vary. In Otis's version, she came to his hotel after one of his performances in the city and persuaded him to audition her. Another story
3294-655: The Gospel Music Workshop of America , a Black gospel outlet. Late 20th–century musicians such as Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis , and the Blackwood Brothers were also known for their gospel influences and recordings. Urban contemporary gospel emerged in the late 1960s and early 70s with Edwin Hawkis Singers highly popular "Oh Happy Day" which is still performed worldwide in the 2000s. Artists such as James Cleveland, Aretha Franklin,
3416-643: The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album . In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked her number 62 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time . James performed at the top jazz festivals in the world, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1977, 1989, 1990 and 1993. She performed nine times at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival and five times at the San Francisco Jazz Festival . She performed at
3538-527: The Grammys . In 1989, the newly formed Rhythm and Blues Foundation included James in their first Pioneer Awards for artists whose "lifelong contributions have been instrumental in the development of Rhythm & Blues music". The following year, 1990, she received an NAACP Image Award , which is given for "outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts;" it was an award she cherished as it "was coming from my own people". In 2020, James
3660-697: The Playboy Jazz Festival in 1990, 1997, 2004, and 2007. She performed six times at the North Sea Jazz Festival , in 1978, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1993. She performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2006 and 2009 (prior 2012 credit - after date of death). She also often performed at free summer arts festivals throughout the United States. In 2008, James was portrayed by singer Beyoncé in
3782-749: The United Methodist Church made this acceptance explicit in The Faith We Sing , a 2000 supplement to the official denominational hymnal. In the preface, the editors say, "Experience has shown that some older treasures were missed when the current hymnals were compiled." Fillmore District, San Francisco After the earthquake, the district experienced a large influx of diverse ethnic populations as other neighborhoods in San Francisco would not allow non-whites to move there. It began to house large numbers of African Americans, Japanese and Jews. Each group significantly contributed to
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3904-400: The abolition movement provided cross–fertilization. The first published use of the term "Gospel song" probably appeared in 1874 when Philip Bliss released a songbook entitled Gospel Songs. A Choice Collection of Hymns and Tunes . It was used to describe a new style of church music, songs that were easy to grasp and more easily singable than the traditional church hymns , which came out of
4026-497: The internment of all Japanese citizens . After the war, the Japanese slowly migrated back to the Fillmore district and the Japanese population would make its way back to pre-war levels within a few years. Noted Japanese monk Nyogen Senzaki , who is credited with introducing Zen Buddhism in the United States opened the first zendo in an apartment on Bush Street in the Fillmore. Although some African Americans were present in
4148-589: The "Bird" ( Charlie Parker ). Fillmore Street was filled with nightclubs. Jimbo's Bop City is reported to be the only venue to host Parker and Armstrong together at the same time. One of the oldest jazz performers in the Bay Area currently living, Frank R. Fisher , performed in Fillmore District in the 40s and 50s. As part of efforts in the 1990s to revitalize the Fillmore district, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency created
4270-406: The 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music, and James D. Vaughan used radio as an integral part of his business model, which also included traveling quartets to publicize the gospel music books he published several times a year. Virgil O. Stamps and Jesse R. Baxter studied Vaughan's business model and by the late 1920s were running heavy competition for Vaughan. The 1920s also saw
4392-567: The 1920s greatly increased the audience for gospel music. Following World War II , gospel music moved into major auditoriums, and gospel music concerts became quite elaborate. Black and Southern gospel music are largely responsible for gospel's continued presence in contemporary Christian music , with soul music by far the best–known popular music variant. The styles emerged from the African-American music and American folk music traditions and have evolved in various ways over
4514-407: The 1960s. It has evolved over the years into a popular form of music across the United States and overseas, especially among baby boomers and those living in the South. Like other forms of music the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of southern gospel varies according to culture and social context. Christian country music , sometimes referred to as country gospel music,
4636-538: The 1970s, the African American population in San Francisco went from around 13 percent to just under 6 percent of the overall population in 2010. After WWII , the city government began to grow increasingly wary of the supposed instability of the Fillmore District. In Lai Clement's article on the Fillmore district he stated that "At a 1948 public hearing, State Senator O'Gara noted that the Fillmore
4758-445: The 70s and 80s, Urban Contemporary gospel is the most common form of recorded gospel music today. It relies heavily on rhythms and instrumentation common in the secular music of the contemporary era (often including the use of electronic beats), while still incorporating the themes and heritage of the traditional Black gospel genre. Kirk Franklin is the foremost (and by far the bestselling) individual in this genre, while Andrae Crouch,
4880-450: The A-1 and the A-2 projects were met with a large amount of popular resistance. Many of the people who criticized the redevelopment project were the many who were forcibly removed from the area. In particular, the A-2 redevelopment project was often described as being a disaster for the overall culture present in the Fillmore and was definitely the more unpopular of the two projects. Specifically,
5002-477: The A-2 project was considered to be detrimental to the jazz scene in the area according to many anti redevelopment organizations such as WACO. Forced to confront the growing amount of popular unrest, the RDA justified its redevelopment projects by saying that any former residents would be able to come back to their homes after the redevelopment was finished. The RDA also argued that the redevelopment projects would spur
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5124-626: The Blues in 2000, on which she returned to her R&B roots. In 2001, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame , the latter for her contributions to the developments of both rock and roll and rockabilly . In 2003, she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . On her 2004 release, Blue Gardenia , she returned to a jazz style. Her final album for Private Music, Let's Roll , released in 2005, won
5246-567: The Bone (Best Traditional Blues Album) in 2004. Two of her early songs have been given Grammy Hall of Fame Awards for "qualitative or historical significance": "At Last", in 1999, and " The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry) " in 2008. In 2003, she was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . Gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media . The creation, performance, significance, and even
5368-648: The Clark Sisters , Mary Mary , and Yolanda Adams are also very popular and noteworthy. British black gospel refers to gospel music of the African diaspora in the UK. It is also often referred to as "UK gospel". The distinctive sound is heavily influenced by UK street culture with many artists from the African and Caribbean majority black churches in the UK. The genre has gained recognition in various awards such as
5490-479: The Clark Sisters, and Andraé Crouch followed them. And this pattern would repeat itself in subsequent decades, with new artists like Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin making increasingly more bold forays into the secular world with their musical stylings. The current sphere of Black gospel recording artists is almost exclusively of the urban contemporary bent. Also of note is the rise of Christian (or gospel) rap/hip–hop , which has gained increasing popularity since
5612-716: The Dixie Hummingbirds were popular in afroamerican gospel fans. In 1964, the Gospel Music Association was established, which in turn began the Dove Awards (in 1969) and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (in 1972). Both of the latter two groups began primarily for Southern gospel performers, but in the late 1970s, began including artists of other subgenres, which brought in many Black artists. Also in 1969, James Cleveland established
5734-419: The Fillmore District after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , it would not be until WWII that the Fillmore District and San Francisco as a whole began to have a large African-American population. Between the years of 1940 and 1950, the African American population of San Francisco grew from 4,836 to 43,460, from 0.5% to 4.5% of the city's total population. A vast majority of these African Americans lived in
5856-534: The Fillmore District. The Japanese internment in 1942 had left a large number of unoccupied homes and businesses within the Fillmore, and the shipbuilding industry and wartime economy created by WWII brought a large number of wartime jobs into the city. Additionally, many African Americans had left the south in the Great Migration in order to escape Jim Crow laws . This influx of African Americans during and after WWII created racial tension. Many African Americans were forced to live in certain neighborhoods of
5978-583: The GEM (Gospel Entertainment Music) Awards, MOBO Awards , Urban Music Awards and has its own Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart . Southern gospel music comes from the Southeastern United States and is similar in sound to Christian country music, but it sometimes known as "quartet music" for its traditional "four men and a piano" set up. The genre, while remaining predominantly White, began to integrate Black gospel stylings in
6100-590: The Historic Fillmore Jazz Preservation District to encourage the development of entertainment and commercial businesses in this historical area. A Jazz Heritage Center was created within a major new apartment and commercial development, the Fillmore Heritage Center, which housed the San Francisco branch of Yoshi's jazz club. In 2012, Yoshi's SF filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and in 2014 it closed and
6222-634: The Peaches an opening spot on Little Richard 's national tour. While James was on tour with Richard, pop singer Georgia Gibbs recorded a version of her song and released it under the again-altered title "Dance With Me, Henry." It became a crossover hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 , which angered James. After leaving the Peaches, James had another R&B hit with "Good Rockin' Daddy" but struggled with follow-ups. When her contract with Modern came up for renewal in 1960, she signed
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#17327867945916344-411: The Soul Stirrers, Swan Silvertones and the Dixie Hummingbirds were famous gospel groups. Christian country music , sometimes referred to as country gospel music, is a subgenre of gospel music with a country flair. Celtic gospel music infuses gospel music with a Celtic flair, and is popular in countries such as Ireland. British black gospel refers to Gospel music of the African diaspora produced in
6466-593: The Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year award from the Blues Foundation , the ninth time she won that award. She carried on touring but by 2010 had to cancel concert dates because of her gradually failing health; by this time she was suffering from dementia and leukemia . In November 2011, James released her final album, The Dreamer , to critical acclaim. She announced her retirement at the time of its release. James' enduring relevance
6588-610: The Southern migrants' new churches became more popular, so did gospel music, gospel choirs, and the general trend toward exclusive use of this music in Black churches. Dorsey, Whitney Houston, Mahalia Jackson, the Mississippi Mass Choir , and the Georgia Mass Choir are but a few notable examples. Developing out of the fusion of traditional Black gospel with the styles of secular Black music popular in
6710-663: The United Kingdom. According to Yale University music professor Willie Ruff, the singing of psalms in Scottish Gaelic by Presbyterians of the Scottish Hebrides evolved from " lining out "—where one person sang a solo and others followed—into the call and response of gospel music of the American South. Another theory notes foundations in the works of Isaac Watts and others. Moreover,
6832-752: The Wedding", which reached number six on the R&;B chart and also had gospel elements. In 1963, she had another major hit with "Pushover" and released the live album Etta James Rocks the House , recorded at the New Era Club in Nashville, Tennessee . After a couple of years of minor hits, James's career started to suffer after 1965. After a period of isolation, she returned to recording in 1967 and reemerged with more gutsy R&B numbers thanks to her recording at
6954-614: The album was also critically acclaimed. In 1975, James opened up for comedian Richard Pryor at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. James continued to record for Chess (now owned by All Platinum Records ), releasing one more album in 1976, Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! Her 1978 album Deep in the Night , produced by Jerry Wexler for Warner Bros., incorporated more rock-based music in her repertoire. That same year, James
7076-671: The albums Seven Year Itch and Stickin' to My Guns , both of which were produced by Barry Beckett and recorded at FAME Studios. Also in 1989 James was filmed in a concert at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles with Joe Walsh and Albert Collins for the film Jazzvisions : Jump the Blues Away . Many of the backing musicians were top-flight players from Los Angeles: Rick Rosas (bass), Michael Huey (drums), Ed Sanford (Hammond B3 organ), Kip Noble (piano) and Josh Sklair, James' longtime guitar player. James participated with
7198-432: The area. In Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco, The Fillmore Charles Collins, a former Fillmore resident, says "[Jones] came into a community that needed to have a sense of belonging. For people who needed to come together. People who were broken." Reverend Hannibal Williams, a former community organizer in the Fillmore, says, "people were desperate for solutions. People needed something to follow. Jim Jones
7320-595: The band, with Christine McVie singing lead vocals. The single was successful enough that it garnered Christine McVie the Top Female Singer on the Melody Maker's Reader's Poll in 1969. Through her mother, Dorothy, James was introduced to the Nation of Islam. Dorothy attended occasional meetings at Nation of Islam Temple No. 27 in Los Angeles, and would return to her daughter to relay the teachings. Under
7442-703: The care of her grandparents, however, James was raised Baptist . In her adult years, James and a friend began attending a NOI Temple in Atlanta, where she found comfort in the preaching of Minister Louis X and the sense of "racial pride". She took on the name Jamesetta X and later joined Malcolm X ’s Temple in Harlem, where she remained a member for about a decade. It was in Harlem that James became friends with young boxer Cassius Clay, who later became famous boxing legend Muhammad Ali . However, she confessed she didn't strictly follow their beliefs, later reflecting that it
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#17327867945917564-421: The city. The Civil Rights Movement succeeded in making significant legal gains for African Americans and many other ethnic groups. However, there are still significant social tensions which still exist today. After the war, the African American population contributed significantly to the growing jazz culture in the Fillmore, with clubs, such as Jimbo's Bop City (ca 1950–1965), flourishing there. In addition,
7686-500: The collapse of Market Street during the 1906 earthquake, many of the commercial businesses and financial institutions moved to the Fillmore District. Since then, the Fillmore has played a vital role in the economy of San Francisco. However, after most of Market Street was rebuilt, many businesses moved back and the Financial District once again eclipsed the Fillmore district in terms of economic importance. Fillmore Street,
7808-612: The community. The district had three synagogues, a Yiddish Cultural Center and a school. The Fillmore was considered the center of the Jewish community in San Francisco in the early 20th century. A significant Japanese population has existed since the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906 . The Japanese created a Japantown that still exists close to its original location today. In 1906, there were approximately 5,000 Japanese who lived within that section of town, making them
7930-624: The days of the Gospel Gangstaz and The Cross Movement . Often considered a subgenre of urban contemporary gospel, Christian rap has become dominated in present times by artists from Reach Records , who have seen perhaps the most commercial success of any artists in the gospel genre; Lecrae (the label's founder and preeminent artist) has charted in the top 10 of on the Billboard 200 three times, with his 2014 album "Anomaly" debuting at No. 1. See also: Traditional Black gospel music
8052-457: The definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace. Gospel music is characterized by dominant vocals and strong use of harmony with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century. Hymns and sacred songs were often performed in
8174-437: The district and extend the western border further. However, redevelopment — for example, that which followed the Loma Prieta earthquake and the collapse of the Central Freeway — has made these areas more independent and distinct. In addition, the area centered on Fillmore Street to the north of Geary had long been uniformly known as Upper Fillmore , but rising property values in the 1980s and 1990s severely weakened its ties to
8296-411: The district call that redevelopment a "Negro Removal" and a product of racism. The city planners claim redevelopment was a way to combat the extremely high rates of crime in the area and to reinvigorate the local economy. Though its boundaries are not clearly defined, the Fillmore is usually considered to be a subset of the Western Addition neighborhood and is roughly bordered by Van Ness Avenue on
8418-405: The district gets its name, is the main north–south thoroughfare running through the center of the district. The area east of Fillmore St. is locally referred to as Downtown Fillmore, while the area to the west of Fillmore is known by many locals as Uptown Fillmore. Some definitions, particularly older ones, include Hayes Valley , Japantown , and what is now known as North of Panhandle as part of
8540-439: The district today. During the late 1960s and 1970s, city leaders campaigned for "Urban Renewal" with plans centering around the Fillmore District. The forced removal of African American residents led to a decline of the jazz scene in the area. However, there are claims that jazz in the district has rebounded in recent years. The redevelopment of the Fillmore remains a controversial issue. Many of those forced to move from
8662-509: The east, Divisadero Street on the west, Geary Boulevard on the north, and Grove Street on the south. These delineations are approximate and there are certain irregularities in the geographic shape of the neighborhood; for instance, the Westside Housing Projects are generally considered to be part of the Fillmore District, even though they are located a block west of Divisadero and a block north of Geary. The community also extends south of Grove St. at several points. Fillmore Street , from which
8784-421: The famed rock producer Gabriel Mekler , who had worked with Steppenwolf and Janis Joplin . Joplin had admired James and had covered "Tell Mama" in concert. James' 1973 album, exhibiting a mixture of musical styles, was nominated for a Grammy Award . The album did not produce any major hits, however, and neither did the follow-up album, Come a Little Closer , in 1974, though, like '73's Etta James before it,
8906-470: The film Cadillac Records , a fictional account of Chess Records, James's label for 18 years, about how label founder and producer Leonard Chess helped the careers of James and others. The film included "At Last," performed by Beyoncé. Beyoncé was invited to perform the song at Barack Obama's inaugural ball . In the following weeks James publicly complained that Beyoncé was “singing my song,” but later added that her critical remarks were meant to be received as
9028-494: The first great gospel recording artist. The first person to introduce ragtime to gospel (and the first to play piano on a gospel recording) was Arizona Dranes . The 1930s saw the rise of Black gospel quartets such as the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama . In addition to these high–profile quartets, there were many Black gospel musicians performing in the 1920s and 30s, usually playing
9150-734: The genre arose during a time when literacy was not a guarantee, utilizing a great deal of repetition (which, unlike more traditional hymns, allowed those who could not read the opportunity to participate). Perhaps the most famous gospel–based hymns were composed in the 1760s and 1770s by English writers John Newton (" Amazing Grace ") and Augustus Toplady ("Rock of Ages"), members of the Anglican Church . Starting out as lyrics only, it took decades for standardized tunes to be added to them. Although not directly connected with African–American gospel music, they were adopted by African–Americans as well as white Americans, and Newton's connection with
9272-650: The genres of soul and jazz. James was once considered one of the most overlooked blues and R&B musicians in the music history of the United States . It was not until the early 1990s, when she began receiving major industry awards from the Grammys and the Blues Foundation, that she received wide recognition. In more recent years, she has been hailed as a pioneer who helped bridge the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll and thereby contributed significantly to American musical history. James has influenced
9394-471: The greatest voices of her century" and says she is "forever the matriarch of blues." James frequently performed in Nashville's famed R&B clubs on the so-called " Chitlin' Circuit " in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Jamesetta Hawkins was born on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to Dorothy Hawkins, who was 14 at the time. Although her father has never been identified, James speculated that she
9516-725: The guitar and singing in the streets of Southern cities. In the 1930s, in Chicago, Thomas A. Dorsey turned to gospel music, establishing a publishing house. It has been said that 1930 was the year traditional black gospel music began, as the National Baptist Convention first publicly endorsed the music at its 1930 meeting. Dorsey was responsible for developing the musical careers of many African–American artists, such as Mahalia Jackson (best known for her rendition of his " Precious Lord, Take My Hand "). Meanwhile, radio continued to develop an audience for gospel music,
9638-476: The heyday of her early to mid-1960s success. Her records continued to chart in the R&;B Top 40 in the early 1970s, with singles such as "Losers Weepers" (1970) and "I Found a Love" (1972). Though James continued to record for Chess, she was devastated by the death of record executive Leonard Chess in 1969. James ventured into rock and funk with the release of her self-titled album in 1973, with production from
9760-498: The largely working-class Fillmore District. Instead, it became increasingly tied to the extremely wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood to the north. This change in socio-economic identity has caused the Upper Fillmore to be commonly called "Lower Pacific Heights" in recent times, especially by its non-native residents. Overall, most locals agree that the Fillmore has been steadily shrinking for several decades. The Fillmore
9882-402: The largest minority of the Fillmore district for a significant period of time. Like many of the ethnic groups in San Francisco, the Japanese faced discrimination. The type of discrimination a Japanese person could expect to face was slightly different than the discrimination an African American would face. Many Americans perceived the Japanese as foreigners and as citizens of another country. It
10004-464: The legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama . These sessions yielded her comeback hit " Tell Mama ", co-written by Clarence Carter , which reached number ten on the R&B chart and number twenty-three for pop. An album of the same name was also released that year and included her take on Otis Redding 's "Security". The B-side of "Tell Mama" was " I'd Rather Go Blind ", which became
10126-412: The local culture and earned the Fillmore district a reputation for being "One of the most diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco". In particular, the district was known for having the largest jazz scene on the west coast of the United States up until its decline in the 1970s. A large Japantown was also historically located in the Fillmore District although technically it does not lie within the borders of
10248-546: The loyalty and obedience of numerous residents in the Fillmore. In 1974, Jim Jones made the decision to relocate the Peoples Temple to Guyana , believing it to be the ideal setting to establish the socialist racially integrated mission he envisioned. He also hoped to escape mounting pressures from negative publicity and ongoing investigations by the media in San Francisco. Through his persuasive tactics, Jones managed to convince many Fillmore residents to join him. After
10370-574: The marketing of gospel records by groups such as the Carter Family . The Pentecostal movement quickly made inroads with churches not attuned to the Europeanized Black church music that had become popular over the years since Emancipation. These congregations readily adopted and contributed to the gospel music publications of the early 20th century. Sister Rosetta Tharpe , pioneer of rock and roll , soon emerged from this tradition as
10492-513: The mass revival movement starting with Dwight L. Moody , whose musician was Ira D. Sankey , as well as the Holiness – Pentecostal movement. Prior to the meeting of Moody and Sankey in 1870, there was an American rural/frontier history of revival and camp meeting songs, but the gospel hymn was of a different character, and it served the needs of mass revivals in the great cities. The revival movement employed popular singers and song leaders,
10614-438: The mid-1960s, James suffered from a substance use disorder to heroin. She bounced checks, forged prescriptions and stole from her friends to finance her addiction. James was arrested in 1966 for writing bad checks. She was placed on probation and ordered to pay a $ 500 fine. In 1969, she spent 10 days in jail for violating probation. James encountered a string of legal problems during the early 1970s due to her heroin addiction. She
10736-483: The most famous of them being Ira D. Sankey. The original "gospel" songs were written and composed by authors such as George F. Root , Philip Bliss , Charles H. Gabriel , William Howard Doane , and Fanny Crosby . As an extension to his initial publication Gospel Songs , Philip Bliss, in collaboration with Ira D. Sankey issued no's. 1 to 6 of Gospel Hymns in 1875. Sankey and Bliss's collection can be found in many libraries today. The popularity of revival singers and
10858-423: The neighborhood's main commercial strip, reflects Fillmore's diversity: family-owned neighborhood-serving retail mixes with chain stores, jazz clubs, and ethnic restaurants of many varieties. Some of the stores, restaurants, and clubs lost to redevelopment are memorialized by plaques on the sidewalk. There is a branch of the San Francisco public library located at Geary and Scott. The historic Fillmore Auditorium
10980-460: The openness of rural churches to this type of music (in spite of its initial use in city revivals) led to the late 19th and early 20th century establishment of gospel music publishing houses such as those of Homer Rodeheaver , E. O. Excell , Charlie Tillman , and Charles Tindley . These publishers were in the market for large quantities of new music, providing an outlet for the creative work of many songwriters and composers. The advent of radio in
11102-497: The physical decay of cheaply constructed housing complexes have led to a neighborhood of stark contrasts between rich and poor. As of 2001, only 4% of the "Certificates of Preference" issued to businesses forced out by the RDA had been redeemed. In the 1990s–2000s, the neighborhood underwent another wave of urban renewal and gentrification in the form of a new "Jazz District" along Fillmore Street with mostly upscale jazz-themed restaurants, and proposed condominium construction. After
11224-482: The rap singer Def Jef on the song "Droppin' Rhymes on Drums", which mixed James's jazz vocals with hip-hop. In 1992, she recorded the album The Right Time , produced by Jerry Wexler for Elektra Records . She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. James signed with Private Music Records in 1993 and recorded a Billie Holiday tribute album, Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday . The album set
11346-579: The redevelopment effort. The city focused its efforts into two main redevelopment projects known as A-1 and A-2. The A-1 redevelopment project began in 1956 and lasted until 1973. A-1 Primarily focused on the Japan town side of the Fillmore and had the JCTC (Japanese Cultural and Trade Center) as its so called "center piece". The project covered 28 city blocks, displaced around 8,000 people and destroyed 6,000 low renting housing units. The A-2 redevelopment project
11468-405: The same direction as her first, covering jazz and pop standards and with strings on many of the songs. It produced two hit singles, "Fool That I Am" and "Don't Cry Baby". James started adding gospel elements in her music the following year, releasing "Something's Got a Hold on Me", which peaked at number four on the R&B chart and was a Top 40 pop hit. That success was quickly followed by "Stop
11590-452: The top five of the R&B chart. James sang background vocals for her labelmate Chuck Berry on his " Back in the U.S.A. " Her debut album, At Last! , was released in late 1960 and was noted for its varied selection of music, from jazz standards to blues to doo-wop and rhythm and blues (R&B). The album included the future classics " I Just Want to Make Love to You " and " A Sunday Kind of Love ". In early 1961, James released what
11712-423: The trend of African American migration to the city and the district continued at a fast pace until it reached a peak of about 13 percent in the 1970s. During the 1970s the Fillmore District was at the forefront of the redevelopment effort going on in the city. Many people ascribe the decline of the Fillmore district as a center for jazz and African Americans to this redevelopment. Since redevelopment started in
11834-463: The vocal range of a contralto . Her musical style changed during the course of her career. At the beginning of her recording career, in the mid-1950s, James was marketed as an R&B and doo-wop singer. After signing with Chess Records in 1960, James broke through as a traditional pop -styled singer, covering jazz and pop music standards on her debut album, At Last! James's voice deepened and coarsened, moving her musical style in her later years into
11956-495: The years, continuing to form the basis of Black church worship even today. It has also come to be used in churches of various other cultural traditions (especially within Pentecostalism ) and, via the gospel choir phenomenon spearheaded by Thomas Dorsey , has become a form of musical devotion worldwide. Southern afroamerican gospel groups used all–male, tenor – lead – baritone – bass quartets. Sensational Nightingales ,
12078-532: Was "something of a fad" and the "radical, the 'in' thing to do" at the time. She continued to consume pork and wear non-conservative clothing during her membership. James was married to Artis Mills from 1969 until her death in 2012. James had two sons, Donto James and Sametto James, born to different fathers. Both of her sons became musicians and eventually performed professionally with their mother; Donto played drums at Montreux in 1993, and Sametto played bass guitar circa 2003, among other performances and tours. By
12200-435: Was 16. James believed that King's hit single "Sweet Sixteen" was about her. In early 1955, she and an aspiring singer, the 19-year-old Elvis Presley , then recording for Sun Studios and an avid fan of King's, shared a bill in a large club just outside Memphis. In her autobiography, she noted how impressed she was with the young singer's manners. She also recalled how happy he made her many years later when she found out that it
12322-508: Was Presley who had moved her close friend Jackie Wilson from a substandard convalescent home to a more appropriate facility and, as she put it, paid all the expenses. Presley died a year later. Wilson went on to live for another ten years in the care center Presley found for him. Dueting with Harvey Fuqua , James recorded for Argo Records (later renamed Cadet Records ), a label established by Chess. Her first hit singles with Fuqua were "If I Can't Have You" and " Spoonful ". Her first solo hit
12444-413: Was a "bad" neighborhood. As a result of the project's displacement of residents and businesses, its mixed and arguably discriminatory economic impact, and its design (featuring mid-century renewal concepts such as superblocks and strict separation of uses), the redevelopment of the Fillmore is considered by most to have been unsuccessful and regrettable. Post-redevelopment, encroaching gentrification and
12566-566: Was a guest on John Mayall's Blues Breakers 1982 reunion show in New Jersey. In 1984, she contacted David Wolper and asked to perform in the opening ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics , at which she sang " When the Saints Go Marching In ". In 1987, she performed " Rock and Roll Music " with Chuck Berry in the documentary film Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll . In 1989, she signed with Island Records and with them released
12688-401: Was a solution. He was something to follow." Jones effectively appealed to the predominantly Black congregation in the Fillmore district by employing the language and oral traditions of Black churches . This approach struck a chord with many of his followers who had previously attended Black churches. Additionally, he utilized charisma, manipulative tactics, and mind control techniques to gain
12810-567: Was a widely held belief that the Japanese in San Francisco and the Fillmore were still loyal to Japan even though many were 2nd or 3rd generation American citizens. One Ozawa court case ruling exemplified this type of racism when it described the Japanese as "Aliens ineligible to citizenship". This systemic racism towards the Japanese would eventually fuel the decision for the Issuing of executive order 9066 by president Franklin Roosevelt and
12932-514: Was affirmed in 2011 when the Swedish DJ Avicii achieved substantial chart success with the song " Levels ", which samples her 1962 song " Something's Got a Hold on Me ". The same sample was used by the east coast rapper Flo Rida in his 2011 hit single " Good Feeling ". Both artists issued statements of condolence upon James's death. James' original classic music again charted after these 21st-century re-interpretations. James possessed
13054-771: Was appointed sole conservator of the James estate and to oversee her medical care. She died on January 20, 2012, at age 73, at Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, California . Her death came three days after that of Johnny Otis , the man who had discovered her in the 1950s. Thirty-six days after her death, her sideman Red Holloway also died. Her funeral was presided over by the Reverend Al Sharpton and took place at Greater Bethany Community Church in Gardena, California , eight days after her death. Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera gave musical tributes. She
13176-538: Was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles County, California. Studio albums Since 1989 (notably rather late in her career, after nearly thirty years of prior recording), James has received over 30 awards and recognitions from eight different organizations, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences which organizes
13298-609: Was continuously in and out of rehabilitation centers, including the Tarzana Treatment Centers, in Los Angeles, California. Her husband Artis Mills accepted responsibility when they were both arrested for heroin possession, and served a 10-year prison sentence. He was released from prison in 1981. In 1973, James was arrested for possession of heroin. In 1974, James was sentenced to drug treatment instead of serving time in prison. During this period, she became addicted to methadone and would mix her doses with heroin. She
13420-480: Was credited as co-author for " The Wallflower " (a title change to the aforementioned song, "Work with Me, Annie"), which was released in early 1955. The original title of the song was actually "Roll with Me, Henry", but it had been changed to avoid censorship at the time ( roll implying sexual activity). In February 1955, the song reached number one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Tracks chart. Its success also gave
13542-421: Was featured in a Diet Coke advertising campaign in the UK, the song again charted, reaching the top ten on the UK charts in 1996. By 1998, with the release of Life, Love & the Blues , James had added as backing musicians her own sons, Donto and Sametto, on drums and bass, respectively. They were part of her touring band. She continued recording for Private Music, which released the blues album Matriarch of
13664-527: Was in the Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital for 17 months, starting at the age of 36, and went through a great struggle at the start of treatment. In her 1995 autobiography Rage to Survive , she said that the time she spent in the hospital changed her life. After leaving treatment, however, her substance abuse continued, particularly after she developed a relationship with a man who was also using drugs. In 2010, James received treatment for
13786-532: Was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame . The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences . James has received six Grammy Awards. Her first was in 1995, when she was awarded Best Jazz Vocal Performance for the album Mystery Lady , which consisted of covers of Billie Holiday songs. Two other albums have also won awards, Let's Roll (Best Contemporary Blues Album) in 2003, and Blues to
13908-745: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001. She also received a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2003. Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was also ranked number 62 on Rolling Stone 's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time . Billboard 's 2015 list of "The 35 Greatest R&B Artists Of All Time" also included James, whose "gutsy, take-no-prisoner vocals colorfully interpreted everything from blues and R&B/soul to rock n’roll, jazz and gospel." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called hers "one of
14030-617: Was replaced by The Addition which closed its doors on January 14, 2015. Many nightclubs (Leola Kings Bird Cage, Wesley Johnson's Texas PlayHouse, Shelton's Blue Mirror, and Jacks of Sutter) existed on the Fillmore, bringing major musical icons to the neighborhood including Ella Fitzgerald , Louis Armstrong , and Billie Holiday . A farmer's market is held at the Fillmore Center Plaza on Saturday mornings, year round. The market features local jazz musicians as well as California-grown produce. The Fillmore Street Jazz Festival
14152-407: Was started in 1966 and lasted until the end of the 1970s. This project spanned about 70 city blocks around the A-1 redevelopment area. It would end up displacing up to 13,500 residents, destroying 4,522 households and 5,000 low rent housing units. The A-1 redevelopment project was considered to be a fantastic success by the RDA because it significantly boosted the economy in the area. However, both
14274-446: Was that Otis spotted the Creolettes performing at a Los Angeles nightclub and sought for them to record his " answer song " to Hank Ballard 's " Work with Me, Annie ". Otis took the Creolettes under his wing and helped them sign to Modern Records , at which point they changed their name to Peaches. At this time Otis also gave James her stage name, transposing "Jamesetta" (her given first name) into "Etta James." In 1954, James recorded and
14396-423: Was the city's worst blighted area with metastasizing ramifications for the city's citizenry and other districts". Whether it really was or not is still up for debate. In general, the Fillmore District was seen as a district that was filled with poverty and in desperate need of remodeling. As a result, the city government of San Francisco established the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency (RDA) in order to spearhead
14518-554: Was the daughter of pool player Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone , whom she met briefly in 1987. Her mother was frequently absent from their apartment in Watts , conducting relationships with various men, and James lived with a series of foster parents, most notably "Sarge" and "Mama" Lu. James referred to her mother as "the Mystery Lady". James was raised by relatives and friends during her childhood, and she began regularly attending
14640-466: Was the doo-wop–styled rhythm-and-blues song " All I Could Do Was Cry ", which was a number two R&B hit. Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess envisioned James as a classic ballad stylist who had potential to cross over to the pop charts and soon surrounded the singer with violins and other string instruments. The first string-laden ballad James recorded was "My Dearest Darling" in May 1960, which peaked in
14762-552: Was the opening act for the Rolling Stones and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival . Following this brief success, however, she left Chess Records and did not record for another ten years while she struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism. Amid her hiatus from recording, James still performed on occasion through the early and mid-1980s, including two guest appearances at Grateful Dead concerts in December 1982. and
14884-511: Was to become her signature song, " At Last ", a Glenn Miller tune, which reached number two on the R&B chart and number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 . Though the record was not as successful as expected, her rendition has become the best-known version of the song. James followed this with "Trust in Me", which also included string instruments. Later that same year (1960), James released a second studio album, The Second Time Around . The album took
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