He encouraged her to sing Randy Newman's songs including the savagely satirical, "God's Song", a highly unusual choice for someone raised on gospel music. We talked about what it felt like being abandoned by a mother. As a young girl, James' raw and husky voice earned her the nickname "Baby Etta." But that's not all they . We are really having so much fun," the woman says in the third package, The package is modeled after a 1950s sitcom, She says the last time they worked together, it was a "nightmare", They bickered so much, the banana says because "she's impossible" and she argues that he doesn't want to learn new things, But they think people ultimately loved watching what they did "I think people saw the magic in us and they really couldn't stop watching it," he says, They say they're grateful to be working together "one more time", A water tower for Splitsville, a beetle, a vacuum, and a banana peel all appear in the third package, To start the fourth package, they say their biggest competition is Caterpillar with his winning personality, "I think our strength is that we're theatrical we put on a show," the woman says, to which the man adds, "We're making 90-second movies. "This takes me back. We both got double trouble," she explains. She was born October 18, 1930, in Harland County, Kentucky to James and Ollie (Clark) Thompson. Learn how your comment data is processed. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. and currently resides in Atlanta, GA as a Georgia Peach. But she watched the dance on TV, according to the New York Daily News, and told her son that the performance "was great". Singer and actress Beyonc Knowles portrayed James in the film. If Ukrainian intelligence did penetrate Putin's inner circle, Budanov would have never publicly blurted it out. I want to encourage that you continue your great posts, As always, EW has you covered for all of your clue needs along the way. At that time, James was 14 and singing with a group then named the Creolettes. "Well I showed them," he says, A TV showing a hurricane, a basketball, flames that turn to fireworks, handcuffs and a jail cell, a picture of the Great Lakes, and an empty glass all appear in the first package, "I didn't know my whole family growing up," he says to start the second package, He was a telemarketer, and he would call his family but was too afraid to tell them who he was, Finally he did and they wanted to connect, "I had a lot of apprehension because I didn't think they'd want to get to know the real me," he says, He was surprised to learn that they accepted him as he was, A sign for a call center with a pentagon on it, a telephone switchboard, a bunch of telephones, a green bean bag chair, and a butterfly all appear in the second package, To start the third package, he says he's actually "kind of terrified" to be on stage even though he seems confident, because he's never done anything like this before, Says his "mission" for his next performance is to show "some range" he's singing a song he and his sister used to sing, First performance: Sang "If I Were a Boy" by Beyonc. She's spanned musical genres. Who captured her heart? I agree, the Etta James story needs no embellishment. James thought that Janis Joplin had risen to fame by copying her performance. Submit Music It ain't me," the Banana says. I have learned a lot about love, particularly falling out of it," she says, "I love Bruno Mars. I like to sing what makes me feel good, and he makes me feel good", A pitcher and four glasses of cucumber water, a white lace dress, purple butterfly wings, needle and thread, and a colorful tutu all appear in the second package, First performance: Sang "Heatwave" by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas. In 1968 James was produced by Paul Simon and they wrote some songs together, but the sessions have never been released. Each week, we'll update the below list with all the info given from the latest clue packages, as well as what happens during the singers' time on stage and the panelists' latest (bad) guesses of each of the contestants' identities. My parties are notorious for having great music, everybody dancing," he says to start the third package, Says he was a wallflower as a kid, but now he's the life of the party, He's shown dancing and clicking his heels together, Dedicates his third performance to Britney Spears, "My feet have never been more gigantic but I know that I definitely have what it takes, and tonight, I get to be in the center of the ring", An invite to Carnegie Hall, pom-poms, a record player, and a pair of scrubs are shown in the third package, To start the fourth package, he says if he could time travel, he would go back to when he "left [his] stable job to go and chase my dreams", "Like the Fresh Prince, suddenly, my life was turned upside down", Bull says he found himself alone in a strange, new place, He says he had an apartment full of cockroaches but he is so thankful that it all paid off and worked out, Says there's a rumor going around that he asks the most questions of any of the contestants but he says he's just "very, very nosy", He says he's been trying to catch the other contestants in the bathroom to figure out who they are, A pile of nails, a picture of Hall & Oates, theater masks, cockroaches, lots of candles, and flowery drapes all appear in the fourth package, "This is absolutely the most nervous I've ever been in my entire life/career," he says to start the fifth package, Says he's used to being "a solo performer" but this is a whole other level, Bull says he has a habit of comparing himself to others in a way that can be "crippling," and adds that Skunk is incredible and someone he thinks he's listened to since he was a child, "After years of chasing my destiny, I got a big break," he says to start the sixth package, He says he thought it would change his life but instead it changed who he was, which he later regretted, He's shown being frozen, and then thaws out and throws off a white cape, "When I was true to myself, my success skyrocketed", The frozen plants around him come to life and sprout, and are surrounded by colorful butterflies, Says he'll never miss the chance again to express himself, A checkered racing flag, a man with a tiara and scepter, a rainbow-colored mermaid tail, a red wardrobe, and a white cape all appear in the sixth package, "When I was younger, I always felt like I was playing a character," he says to start the seventh package, Says he was told boys should play sports and not let their emotions show, so he tried all that, but he knew he was someone else, "When there's no role models like you, it can make you feel a little invisible", Says it took a long time to find people who saw him for who he truly is, and that changed everything, Now, his focus is to help others in that same way and he appreciates the patience people have had with him, He's shown carrying roses and also being presented with a cake, Says he hasn't always done or said things perfectly, but "I've always marched towards a better future for all", "I promised myself to always be bold, strong, and celebrate exactly who I am", He's shown getting pelted with a football and then wandering a forest of willow trees, A football, tap shoes, smoke or fog in a forest, a white cake, rose petals and a small bouquet of roses all appear in the seventh package, First performance: Sang "Drops of Jupiter" by Train, Second performance: Sang "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts. Queue August 24, 1994 21:59 R&B and Gospel Singer Etta James "But that one hug could have changed the course of history," she says, Says she has to keep moving forward, so she chose an upbeat song to celebrate love, A fancy black-tie affair, lots of glasses of champagne, a cherry at the bottom of a glass, and orchids appear in the fourth package, To start the fifth package, she says the pressure is on, and there is some stiff competition, "Bull to me would be the one to beat. I mean I have bars, I've got moves, but I also have letters," she says. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. With that said, it greatly disappoints me that in light of her authenticity, this truth has failed to be depicted on the screens of Hollywood. She was a Grammy Award winner. "This show's a riot! Well get ready for the wildest Wildcard yet," he says to start the first package, using a possibly fake accent, Says he's been called an "icon" and "you could say I've changed the course of history", "I've even been voted one of the most influential people of all time", He says he's been called a scoundrel, offended heads of state, and been banned from venues, "In reality, I'm not a bad guy. "I never imagined that many, many aos/years later, that me, the Hamster, would be on this stage with all my amigos," he says. Speed Dating Clue: Do you kiss on the first date? "I might just be a newborn in a diaper, but I'm larger than life", Baby appears to have some sort of British accent, but he could be throwing us off, "I was part of a baby Rat Pack, and we were famous for throwing punches, getting my hands dirty in the action", Says he's had blockbuster hits, an award-winning album, and radio play, He says he replaced Arnold Schwarzenegger in a film, Now, he's here to make the whole world "a giant playpen", New York's Grand Central Station, a giant pacifier, a muscle car, a movie theater marquee that says "Blockbuster Hit 2, starring Baby" on it, an album called "Rattle and Roll" by Baby, a Metropolitan Police badge with the number 54672, the White House, a helicopter, and an explosion appear in the first package, "I love a good house party, and the best house party I've ever been on was a trip," he says to start the second package, Says he got to bring his whole family along on the trip, which was a "house party on eight wheels", He got a picture of his kids taking sink baths, Says he doesn't want to sing a song "just sittin' there" but wants to do one that gets people moving like that party bus, A baby book with a tooth on it, a loofah and bath cap, and pictures of a baby, a raspberry, and a car traveling a desert road all appear in the second package, First performance: Sang "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" by Barry White. Robin says, "So it's not Jill Scott." Bull's Locker Clue: Cheerleaders in blue uniforms come out of his locker, and there's a giant red rose on the door. Lydon/Rotten as the Jester sang "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow," by Soggy Bottom Boys. . James, who would have turned 74 on Jan. 25, died in Riverside, Calif. Lights on or off? ", Seventh performance (with Michael Bolton): "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, First clue package is very groovy and '70s-inspired, "I wanted to become the Octopus because eight is a lucky number and I think I'm a lucky guy", Says he reached success at a very young age and he felt like he had it all, "Everyone took me smiling as me not being serious", He's shown dancing around and goofing off, He says people wanted him out and he fell pretty hard, and had to learn to let go of his ego, He's shown tied to a cement block underwater, but when he rises again the guys give him a high five, A gold telephone, seaweed, disco balls, a stack of cards with the eight of clubs on top, a shark, and ABC blocks appear in the first package, First performance: Sang "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard, "I'm excited about becoming the Pufferfish because I know a thing or two about defending myself", She says for most of her life she wanted to blend in but couldn't, "I was the weird kid in science class who messed up all the experiments," she says, She says her voice was "always different, not necessarily in a good way" as she's shown at a mic when a high-pitched feedback noise forces everyone to cover their ears, Pufferfish says she had to learn to "stand up" for herself and hopes she "stands out", A disco ball, a scale with two beakers on it, a boomerang, an erupting volcano, a white guitar that says "guitarra" on it, and lots of dry ice science experiments all appear in the first package, Says she was very sheltered and grew up in a religious household, Going to movies and listening to music were off limits and she kept her dreams to herself, "When I first rose to fame, I definitely turned heads", Some of the things she wore got her church talking, but she didn't care because it felt good to express herself, "I'm leaning into that sexy side here. "Big party," they say in unison. down the road. Hamster's Party Favor Clue: A blue hard hat with two water bottles on it (very reminiscent of a beer helmet). Usually I'm the type of Bull that focuses on what's on the inside, but today, it's the wrapping that I'm showing off," he says. If Etta James's life had not been weighed down with personal problems, mostly bad management, ghastly lovers, obesity, incarceration and heroin addiction, she would have been acclaimed as a remarkable female soul singer alongside Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Tina Turner. According to Marshall Chess, son of Leonard Chess, he had these words to say concerning the issue of this affair: Now, my father was no angel, but (he) was never caught in an affair, Chess said. Time Travel Clue: A ripped up suit jacket circa 1975. Pufferfish's Locker Clue: The locker has a "Spelling Bee Champion" banner, bubbles, and a reminder for varsity tryouts in it. Kelly Clarkson Still 'Wants to Remain Close With Her Step-Kids' From Ex-husband Who Defrauded Her for 13 Years. Beyonce and Etta have been. Their son, Donto, was born in 1968. Speed Dating Clue: Who was your first celebrity crush? "Well, normally I don't dress this fancy, but with a face like this I'm used to disguising it," he says. Born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in the South-Central area of Los Angeles, Etta was the first "bad girl" of R&B. She sang background vocals on Jesse Belvin's doowop classic, "Goodnight My Love (Pleasant Dreams)" (1956). Of course we all saw Beyonces role in the movie Cadillac Records but unfortunately that role was not the factual life of Etta James. Trophy Clue: The award for "Blockbuster Entertainer Winner." It had been retitled"The Wallflower" under the pretence that it promoted a dance rather than sex. [/quote] James cut the track during her 1967 sessions at Rick Hall's FAME Studios that yielded the great 'Tell Mama' LP. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. In 1976 James recorded the rip-roaring live album Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! What is also in question is why writer/director, Darnell Martin would write the role of Etta James with Beyonce in mind as stated in the New York Times. I think that's the only time she's ever been impressed with anything I've ever done in my career", There's nothing more romantic than a song in Spanish he says, but his Spanish is "terrible", Nevertheless, he wants to dedicate his song to his wife, A calendar with Nov. 30 (a Saturday) circled on it, pictures of the aforementioned celebrities, crazed fans with neon beachwear, and a plastic water bottle all appear in the third package, First performance: Sang "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison. For instance, while the film plays heavily on a romantic relationship with Chess Records head, Leonard Chess, this information was never once mentioned in Ettas autobiography. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, The Masked Singer season 6 to introduce shocking new elimination twist, Skunk's first clue package is very glamorous, "I chose to be the skunk because I relate to the duality, the yin and yang", A man is seen reading a newspaper with the headline "Has the Golden Ear Winner Lost Her Mind? About Us Her one and only husband,Artis Mills, attempted to get her off drugs but he took the rap for her when drugs were found and was given a 10-year sentence. Perhaps Etta James (and Diana Ross) would have preferred to have a seasoned actress portray her on the big screen (or at least one that does not have a habit of trying to align her name with those of legends and/or icons in the hopes that she will then be viewed as one as well (Hardly great marketing - just obvious and calculated). When you do have a human asset in heart . First clue package is set in an ethereal forest, "I'm excited to be Mother Nature because I've done it all. "Wait a minute, he ain't my president. More about Churches Minnesota Orchestra . Time Travel Clue: Portable TV circa 1984. Nowcomes word that 71-year-old soul legend Etta James has turned on noneother than Beyonce Knowles, who so memorably portrayed her in last year's overlooked film Cadillac Records. "I chose the Caterpillar costume because ultimately my life has been all about metamorphosis," he says to start the first package, Says he was lonely growing up because things weren't always great at home, and he was often "rebelling", He left home at a young age, slept in his car at one point, and even started stealing to make ends meet, "My parents used to tell me that I was going to end up in jail, and boy were they right", But that encouraged him to keep going and show everyone up. Time Travel Clue: iPod circa 2001. Artist(s) that make her freak out as a music fan: Sheila E., Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Quincy Jones. "My dimples," he says. "If someone sent me these three digits, it would make me feel like a complete dream girl," she says. But I tell you that woman he had singing for him, singing my song she's going to get her ass whupped.". She scored immediately with a heart-wrenching ballad, "All I Could Do Was Cry", written by Billy Davis. "Sometimes when I go get a nap, I get the need to feed," he says. ", She says there are two sides to every story, and she's here to tell hers, Also says she's "seen it all" over the years, There are misconceptions that she's "quick to get into a fight" but she says "honey, that couldn't be further from the truth", "You don't always have to react when provoked," she says as she hits a guy with her tail, She's shown spraying a pink bottle of "hater spray" as she says she's ready to get back out there and "make it do what it do, boo" after taking time off to be with family, A gold train set, a very expensive-looking pink bag with gold detailing, a first class ticket from Seoul to, Says she is a "forever student" but the biggest thing she's learned is "life happens", She had a full-ride scholarship when she got some unexpected news that changed her life, Says she was forced to take a different path, as a book titled "Big Book of Acting" is shown, "Success isn't measured in a diploma. Third performance: Sang "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Skunk's Party Favor Clue: A boombox. The great, but troubled, Etta James was such a force of nature that it takes five madly skilled performers to portray her on the stage. Etta James might look like an adorable little kitten (doesn't she?) "I have to say, when I won it, I felt like a real leading lady," she says. The Great Etta James is a major female star. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. Amid this, some Twitter users looked back at the 2009 drama. Privacy Policy The life of Ms. Etta James is as fascinating as her voice, complicated as her vocal interpretations and raw as her passion. She left her job because she had no choice and had no place to live, Her car was stolen, too, but the few people who did listen to her music loved it, "I wanted to fight for the light more than I wanted to focus on my bad circumstances", Says she still has the letter and she hopes her grandma would be proud, "Sometimes, the single greatest act of defiance is shining your light no matter what the world tells you", A sign that says 'Home is Where the Queen of Heart is,' ruby red slippers, a jewel suitcase, a pink toy car, a letter addressed to 'grandma,' and a rainbow all appear in the sixth package, First performance: Sang "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga. "No," she says. "Lake," the split replies. The song, with Richard Berry singing an unaccredited male part, was released on the Modernlabel and topped the US R&B chartsfor four weeks. He might be yours; he ain't my president. After Beyonce sang "At Last" at one of President Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural balls, James lashed out:. Thanks for the share.. Thank you for saying what I have been thinking for years. Her mother was a sexually active,14-year-old black girl, Dorothy, who never revealed the identity of herfather. Continuing its streak of great needle-drop moments, the latest episode of HBO . ", Sixth performance: Sang "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, Tongue Clue: Alexander Hamilton. Before the premiere, Beyonc said James was happy with her rendition. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Maybe in the James family, "a little down" is code for "blood-boilingly enraged". "This is pure style," he says. A life long lover of music, Hope is a graduate of Full Sail University where she studied music engineering. This self discovery wasnt revealed until Etta checked into a program in the Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital. This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. I love this thing, but it made the most annoying sound ever [with the dial-up sound]. Part of the Orchestra Wives musical, At Last first charted in a version by the Glenn Miller orchestra. "I'm into Robin [Thicke], because I can't take my eyes off all his printed shirts," he explains. What do you notice when you meet someone new? James had written an answerto "Work With Me Annie", an innuendo-laden song by Hank Ballard andthe Midnighters, calling it "Roll With Me Henry". Very concisely written. Etta James, the legendary soul singer to be portrayed by Beyonce in the upcoming film "Cadillac Records," recently spoke about how pleased she is with the casting choice." It's a privilege and an honor to have somebody like that girl. While Etta wondered much about the true identity of her father, most of her issues of rejection and insecurity stemmed from her mother, Dorothy, a single teenage mother who traveled in and out of Ettas life like a bad storm. Time Travel Clue: Pager circa 1994 with "607" on it. ", Says she's done it all with her biggest supporter right by her side, until recently when they went their separate ways, "I would call out for them and they just weren't there", But when that person found out Beach Ball was doing the show, they reconnected, "My biggest supporter will always have my back", A peach, a shower of money, lightning flashes, a boombox, a clapboard, and a traintrack crossing sign all appear in the first package, First performance: Sang "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. "It's sunny and I like to play baseball," he says. The Masked Singer is back for its sixth season, which means a whole new batch of celebrities in wild costumes whose true identity viewers must uncover. "Text, don't call me," he says. FAQs He adds, "Well, actually, banana is good by itself. She was raised by two friends of Dorothy's, Lulu and James Rogers.