The discography for the American singer Etta James consists of 29 studio albums, 3 live albums, and 12 compilations. She has also issued 58 singles, one of which, "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)," reached number 1 on the Rhythm and Blues Records chart in 1955.
As a teenager in San Francisco, California in the early 1950s, James formed a singing trio, which attracted the attention of Johnny Otis, who helped her sign a recording contract with Modern Records in 1954. She recorded "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)," an answer song to the Midnighters' "Work with Me, Annie," with her vocal group, the Peaches, singing background vocals, which topped the R&B charts for four weeks in 1955. The Peaches eventually left the label, and James recorded as a solo act. She had a second Top 10 hit, "Good Rockin' Daddy," in 1955. She recorded for Modern until the end of the decade, without much further success.
After beginning to date Harvey Fuqua, a singer for the Moonglows, James signed with Argo Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records. Producer Leonard Chess believed James had crossover potential in the pop market and backed her material with orchestral arrangements. With this new style, many of James's songs became hits on both the R&B and the pop charts, such as "All I Could Do Was Cry, "At Last," and "Trust in Me." She released her debut album, At Last!, in 1960. It was followed by The Second Time Around in 1961. In 1967, James recorded with a more soul-inflected style and had her first Top 10 hit in three years, "Tell Mama," which was followed by an album of the same name. In the 1970s, her popularity declined on radio, but she remained at Chess records, recording five albums for the label, departing from them with 1975's Etta Is Betta Than Evvah.
After battling drug and alcohol addictions, James returned with her first studio album in nine years in 1989 titled, Seven Year Itch on Island Records. Her two albums in the early 90s for Island and later Elektra, varied in style from contemporary to Soul, but James eventually settled in on the Private Music label. Recording a total of ten albums for the label between 1997 and 2002, her albums included variations of contemporary blues to traditional Jazz, such as her 1997 tribute album to Billie Holiday titled, Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday. In 2004, she signed with RCA Victor and released Blues to the Bone that same year, followed by a Pop standards release, All the Way, in 2006.
Albums Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions US US R&B US Blues US Jazz 1960 At Last! Released: November 15, 1960 Label: Argo LP-4003 68 — — — 1961 The Second Time Around Released: 1961 Label: Argo LP-4011 — — — — 1962 Etta James Released: 1962 Label: Argo LP-4013 — — — — Etta James Sings for Lovers Released: 1962 Label: Argo LP-4018 — — — — 1964 Queen of Soul Released: December 5, 1964 Label: Argo LP-4040 — — — — 1966 Call My Name Released: 1966 Label: Cadet — — — — 1968 Tell Mama Released: February, 1968 Label: Cadet 82 21 — — 1970 Etta James Sings Funk Released: 1970 Label: Cadet — — — — 1971 Losers Weepers Released: 1971 Label: Cadet — — — — 1973 Etta James Released: 1973 Label: Chess 154 41 — — 1974 Come a Little Closer Released: 1974 Label: Chess — 47 — — 1976 Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! Released: 1976 Label: Chess — — — — 1978 Deep in the Night Released: 1978 Label: Warner — — — — 1980 Changes Released: 1980 Label: MCA — — — — 1989 Seven Year Itch Released: 1989 Label: Island — — — — 1990 Stickin' to My Guns Released: 1990 Label: Island — — — — 1992 The Right Time Released: 1992 Label: Elektra — — — — 1994 Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday Released: March 15, 1994 Label: Private Music — — — 2 1995 Time After Time Released: May 9, 1995 Label: Private Music — — — 5 1997 Love's Been Rough on Me Released: April 29, 1997 Label: Private Music — — 6 — 1998 Life, Love & the Blues Released: June 30, 1998 Label: Private Music — — 3 — 1998 12 Songs of Christmas Released: October 13, 1998 Label: Private Music — — 5 — 1999 Heart of a Woman Released: June 29, 1999 Label: Private Music — — 4 — 2000 Matriarch of the Blues Released: December 12, 2000 Label: Private Music — — 2 — 2001 Blue Gardenia Released: August 21, 2001 Label: Private Music — — — 1 2003 Let's Roll Released: May 6, 2003 Label: Private Music — — 1 — 2004 Blues to the Bone Released: June 8, 2004 Label: RCA Victor — — 4 — 2006 All the Way Released: May 14, 2006 Label: RCA Victor — — — — 2011 The Dreamer Released: November 8, 2011 Label: Verve Forecast — 41 2 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Live albums Year Album details Chart positions US US Blues US Jazz 1964 Etta James Rocks the House Released: 1964 Label: Argo LP-4032 96 — — 1980 Etta, Red-Hot & Live Released: 1982 Label: Quicksilver/Intermedia — — — 1980 Blues From The Big Apple Released: 2007 Label: Blues Boulevard 250177 — — — 1981 Live from San Francisco Released: 1994 Label: On The Spot/Private Music — — — 1986 Blues in the Night Volume One: The Early Show Released: 1986 Label: Fantasy — — 10 1986 The Late Show: Blues in the Night Volume Two Released: 1987 Label: Fantasy — — — 1986 Jazzvisions: Jump The Blues Away Released: 1989 Label: Verve — — — 2001 Burnin' Down the House: Live at the House of Blues Released: May 7, 2002 Label: Private Music — 1 —2022Your Good Thing Live At Tipitina's Released 2022 Label: Tipitina's Record Club "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Compilation albums Year Album details Chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US US Blues US Jazz UK 1962 Twist With Etta James Released: 1962 Label: Crown 5250 — — — — 1963 Etta James Top Ten Released: 1963 Label: Argo LP-4025 117 — — — 1986 R&B Dynamite Released: 1986 Label: Flair/Virgin — — — — 1992 My Greatest Songs Released: 1992 Label: MCA — — — — 1997 Her Best Released: 1997 Label: Chess — 13 — — 1999 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection Released: April 6, 1999 Label: MCA 32 3 — —US: Gold2000 The Chess Box Released: June 27, 2000 Label: Chess — — — — The Best of Etta James Released: September 25, 2000 Label: Spectrum — — — — BPI: Gold 2001 Love Songs Released: January 23, 2001 Label: MCA — 2 — — 2005 Miss Etta James: The Complete Modern and Kent Recordings Released: December 6, 2005 Label: Ace — — — — 2006 The Definitive Collection Released: January 10, 2006 Label: Geffen — 1 — — 2007 Gold Released: January 30, 2007 Label: Hip-O Records — — — — 2010 At Last: The Best of Etta James Released: September 17, 2010 Label: Decca Records — — — 22 BPI: Gold2011 Who's Blue?: Rare Chess Recordings of the 60s and 70s Released: February 28, 2011 Label: Kent — — — — Heart & Soul: A Retrospective Released: October 18, 2011 Label: Hip-O Select — — — — 2019 Collected Released: June 14, 2019 Label: Universal Music — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Singles Year Song Chart positions Certifications Album US US R&B CAN UK 1955 "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)" — 1 — — Miss Etta James: The Complete Modern And Kent Recordings "Hey Henry" — — — — "Good Rockin' Daddy" — 6 — — "W-O-M-A-N" — — — — 1956 "My One and Only" — — — — "Shortnin' Bread Rock" — — — — "Tough Lover" — — — — "Good Lookin'" — — — — 1957 "The Pick-Up" — — — — "Come What May" — — — — 1958 "Sunshine of Love" — — — — 1959 "I Hope You're Satisfied" (with Harvey Fuqua) — — — — 1960 "If I Can't Have You" (with Harvey Fuqua) 52 6 — — Etta James "Spoonful" (with Harvey Fuqua) 78 12 — — "All I Could Do Was Cry" 33 2 — — At Last! "My Dearest Darling" 34 5 — — 1961 "At Last" 47 2 — 39 BPI: Platinum "Trust in Me" 30 4 — — "Fool That I Am" 50 14 — — The Second Time Around "Don't Cry Baby" 39 6 — — "Seven Day Fool" 95 — — — 1962 "Something's Got a Hold on Me" 37 4 — — Etta James / Etta James Top Ten "Stop the Wedding" 34 6 — — Etta James Top Ten "Fools Rush In" "Next Door to the Blues"
(Non-album B side) 87 — — 9 — — Etta James Sings for Lovers "Would It Make Any Difference to You" 64 — — — Etta James Top Ten 1963 "Pushover" 25 7 — — "Pay Back" 78 — — — Non-album singles "Two Sides (To Every Story)"[A] 63 — — — 1964 "Baby What You Want Me to Do" 82 35 — — Queen of Soul "Loving You More Every Day" 65 7 — — "Breaking Point" — — — — "Mellow Fellow" — 34 — — 1966 "Only Time Will Tell" — — — — Non-album single 1967 "I Prefer You" — 42 — — Call My Name "Don't Pick Me for Your Fool" — — — — "842-3089 (Call My Name)" — — — — "Tell Mama" 23 10 22 — Tell Mama 1968 "Security" 35 11 46 — "I Got You Babe" 69 32 46 — Non-album singles "You Got It" 113 — — — 1969 "Almost Persuaded" 79 32 71 — "Miss Pitiful" — — — — "Tighten Up Your Own Thing" — — — — Etta James Sings Funk 1970 "Sound of Love" — — — — "Losers, Weepers (Part 1)" 94 26 — — Losers, Weepers "The Love of My Man" — — — — 1971 "I Think It's You" — — — — 1972 "I Found a Love" 108 31 — — Non-album single 1973 "All the Way Down" 101 29 — — Etta James (1973) 1974 "You Can Leave Your Hat On" — 76 — — "Out on the Street, Again" — 84 — — Come a Little Closer 1976 "Jump Into Love" — 92 — — Etta Is Betta Than Evah 1978 "Piece of My Heart" — 93 — — Deep In the Night "Sugar on the Floor" — — — — 1980 "Mean Mother" — — — — Changes 1961–1996 "I Just Want to Make Love to You"[B] — — — 5 BPI: Gold The Genuine Article: The Best of Etta James "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Collaborations with Sugar Pie DeSanto Year Song Chart positions Album US US R&B 1965 "Do I Make Myself Clear" 96 — Non-album singles 1966 "In the Basement (Part 1)" 97 37 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
B-sides Year Song Chart positions Certifications A-Side Single US US R&B 1961 "Dream" 55 — "The Second Time Around" "A Sunday Kind of Love" — — "Don't Cry Baby" "It's Too Soon to Know" 54 — "Seven Day Fool" 1962 "Next Door to the Blues" 71 13 "Fools Rush In" 1963 "How Do You Speak to an Angel" 109 — "Would It Make Any Difference to You" "I Worry 'Bout You" 118 — "Two Sides (To Every Story)" 1967 "I'd Rather Go Blind" — — BPI: Gold "Tell Mama" "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
A^ Also peaked at No. 16 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. B^ Released outside of the United States.
Other appearances