Sunday Blues, Soul, and Broadway Celebrating the 2023 Birthday of Etta James and James Rado of Hair

by Robert Wilkinson

Today’s show celebrates the birthday of blues legend Etta James, and James Rado, who along with Gerome Ragni and Galt McDermot wrote the musical Hair.

We’ll begin with James Rado (born James Alexander Radomski; January 23, 1932). He was an actor, playwright, director, writer and composer, best known as the co-author with partner Gerome Ragni, of 1967's pioneering tribal love-rock theater musical Hair. He and Ragni were nominated for the 1969 Tony Award for best musical, and they won for best musical at the Grammy Awards in 1969.

While McDermot wrote all the music, James and Gerome wrote all the lyrics, so when you hear “Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair,” or “This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius” give a nod to James! As I noted in Galt McDermot’s birthday celebration, Hair was considered EXTREMELY subversive by Nixon, and one of its producers and a client of mine, Michael Butler, made Nixon’s “Enemies List,” quite a badge of honor at the time.

Hair!

The 5th Dimension scored a #1 in Apr/May 1969 with this medley that won a Grammy! "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" (We really believed it was happening!)

Live on The Tom Jones Show, here’s the 5th Dimension live giving us "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"

Here’s the studio version of the original as done by the Broadway cast! “Aquarius” and “Let the Sun Shine In” (The soundtrack makes it clear these are actually 2 different songs, and not the medley we’re all used to.)

Oliver scored big with this one! Here’s a great live 1970 tv performance. “Good Morning Starshine.” Here’s how the original Broadway cast sang it. “Good Morning Starshine”

I found the Cowsills having fun on this 1969 Wonderful World of Pizzazz TV special with the title track to the musical! “Hair”

Here’s an extraordinary “must see” clip from 1990, featuring Bob, John, Susan and Paul Cowsill performing “Hair” unplugged on the Hal Lifson tv show, with extraordinary harmonies as tight as a drum! While the single clip is gone, I found the entire show. “Hair” begins about 21 minutes into the show, and it’s an extraordinary performance AND a whole lot of fun! The Cowsills Unplugged sing “Hair”

Here’s how the original Broadway cast sang it! “Hair”

Here’s the entire original soundtrack for the musical Hair - The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

We’ll close this brief tribute with a live 2007 PBS performance by the Cowsills of what was truly a major anthem of the late 60s, the tune that inspired tens of millions of us to grow our hair as long as we could! (Mine made it about half way down my back. With Jerry Garcia sideburns and a red goatee about 3 inches long, I was very much the hirsute wild man in 1969 letting my freak flag fly, as Jimi encouraged us to do!) For your enjoyment, “Hair”

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Our second show features the music of birthday girl Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), the amazing blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel singer. From Wikipedia, “James's powerful, deep, earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. 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 its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.“

The amazing voice of Ms. Etta James!

From 1955, one of her first hits! Here’s Etta and the legendary Richard Berry cranking out the slightly risque’ “Roll With Me Henry” (Also known as “The Wallflower.”)

Here’s a great score! The blurb states “Reportedly captured by a national news film crew for a spotlight on juvenile delinquency in Massachusetts, this 1956 performance of "Roll With Me Henry" by Etta James and the Peaches” is a raucous party with Jessie Powell on Tenor Sax! “Roll With Me Henry”

Her next hit, also from 1955, was “Good Rockin’ Daddy”

When she was at Chess Records in 1959, she sang backup on this classic by Chuck Berry, "Back In The USA"

From 1960, with boyfriend Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows, a vampy version of “If I Can’t Have You” and “Spoonful” That year she also had a hit with “All I Could Do Was Cry”

From 1961, the studio version of “At Last,” From her 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, here’s her great live performance on video of “At Last” Also from 1961, “Trust In Me”

Here’s a great live performance of her 1962 hit. She builds it up, and after a minute 40 of serious wailing, she launches into the upbeat “Something’s Got A Hold On Me”

Live in 1964, recorded in SF, here’s Etta cranking out “Baby What You Want Me To Do”

Here’s the entire 42 minute album Etta James Rocks the House

And now, some great live video performances!

Said to be from 1966, live on the Upbeat Chicago tv show, here's Etta giving us "Only Time Will Tell."

From Feb 1968 on the Happening '68 television show, Etta belts out "Tell Mama"

From 1975, her entire set at Montreux plus other performances through 1993! This is an hour and 36 of Etta James Live in Montreux – 1975-1993

From 1977 in Montreux, a medley of “At Last,” “Trust In Me,” and “A Sunday Kind of Love”

From June 1982, with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Etta cranking out ”Rock Me Baby”

Live in Chicago in 1982, Etta with Dr. John and Allan Toussaint cranking out the very N’awlins funky ”Groove Me”

From 1986 in LA, an audio-only recording where she’s backed by Shuggie Otis on guitar and Eddie Cleanhead Vinson and Red Holloway on saxes in the groove with “Baby What You Want Me To Do”

In 1986 she joined the party performing in Hail Hail Rock and Roll, with Chuck and Keith and a bunch of other major league performers backing her as she belts out Chess Records mate Chuck Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music.”

In 1989 at the Wiltern, she performed with Joe Walsh for Jazzvisions: Jump the Blues Away, backed by some of LA's best musicians. She comes in about 9 minutes into the clip, and takes over! Etta James and Joe Walsh in Los Angeles - 1989

Last year’s hour and 3 set is gone, but I found this 47 minute video of her 1991 set at the Newport Jazz Fest! Etta James Live at the Newport Jazz Fest - 1991

If you don’t see one other clip, this is the one to see. This is a SMOKIN’ version by Etta James, live at Montreux in 1993, of “I Just Want to Make Love To You”

We’ll close this tribute with a blistering performance featuring Etta, BB, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Paul Butterfield, Phil Collins, Dr. John, Chaka Khan, Albert King, Gladys Knight, Billy Ocean, and others! “Why I Sing The Blues.” From that same all star gig, with Doctor John, “I’d Rather Go Blind”

Our first encore is what I think is a 2001 performance, with Etta James and the Roots band in a full hour and 21 minute set! Etta James and the Roots – Burnin’ Down the House Live in 2001

This is a great score! Our second encore is a show at the Fillmore West in the Summer of 1986 featuring Etta, John Lee Hooker, and Carlos Santana! For your enjoyment, 30 minutes of great blues! Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana Live at the Fillmore West

This is too good not to be our third encore! It's the Grateful Dead's 35 minute third set on New Year's Eve 1982, with the Tower of Power and Etta James! For your dancing enjoyment, The Grateful Dead at the Fillmore West with Etta James and the Tower of Power.

© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson

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