Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Leela James. It was released by Shanachie Records on July 31, 2012 in the United States.
Critical reception
Allmusic editor Andy Kellman praised the album as a "reverent and imaginative" tribute, highlighting James' creative rearrangements of Etta James' songs and her ability to make them her own. He singled out the transformation of "I'm Loving You More Every Day" and noted that the album successfully honored its inspiration while adding a distinctive modern perspective. PopMatters critic Steve Horowitz praised Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James for its modern reinterpretations of Etta James' songs and Leela James' ability to honor her influence. He noted that while some iconic songs, including "At Last" and "I'd Rather Go Blind," lacked the emotional intensity of the originals, the album successfully celebrated both artists' legacies.
Commercial performance Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James reached number 44 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, making it James' lowest-charting album to that point.
Track listing
Charts Chart (2012) Peak position
References