Etta James was a prolific artist who has produced wonderful music for the best part of 50 years now. She is at home with Blues, R&B (the real kind!), Country, Pop and a myriad of other styles. What this allows "Best Of" compilers is to include only a smattering of songs from each album and still come up with a great album. In the case of "Gold" we have 36 of Etta James' empassioned performances without spoiling it if the listener decides to go after some of her album-as-albums. Too often "Best Of" compilations pick the eyes out of the best albums which leaves those who wish to investigate further a dilemna of which albums to get without doubling up too much. Here, the "At Last" and "Tell Mama" albums, her most heralded ones, are sampled a bit more than others but there is still much, much fine music on those albums not here on "Gold".

"Gold" is a fine album tracking James' career from the mid-50's to 2004 and is a great place to start investigating her stellar contribution to Blues and Soul music. Highly Recommended.

Way back in 1942, two songwriters named Harry Warren and Mack Gordon were fortunate enought to have their song, At Last, recorded by the great Glenn Miller and were undoubtedly delighted that, with Ray Eberle doing the vocal, it made it to # 14 on the Pop charts as the flipside of the monster # 1 (I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo. The royalties got another big boost in 1952 when the Ray Anthony orchestra, with Tommy Mercer doing the vocal. took it to # 2 Pop.

But as far as I'm concerned both renditions, as good as they are, pale in comparison to the one offered up in early 1961 on the small Argo label by Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938 in Los Angeles). Peaking at # 2 R&B and a somewhat modest # 47 Pop considering the powerful delivery, it immediately became HER song. It's that good. And it's just one of no less than 36 you get in this great 2-CD album from Hip-O Records/Chess, complete with 6 pages of liner notes written by noted music writer Bud Scoppa, and a full discography of the contents. Sound reproduction is perfect.

Etta first came into the business at the tender age of 17 in 1955 with her recording for the Modern label of an "answer" song to the 1954 # 1 R&B hit, Work With Me Annie, by The Midnighters (Hank Ballard). Also known as Roll With Me Henry and Dance With Me Henry, and with Richard Berry providing the bass male vocal, it too reached # 1 R&B early in 1955 as The Wallflower, billed to Etta James and "The Peaches." She followed that towards the end of the year with Good Rockin' Daddy, also on Modern, which peaked at # 8 R&B with the backing of The Dreamers, a group that included the great Jesse Belvin, and Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra.

When personal problems intervened, Etta would be away from the charts until early 1960 when All I Could Do Was Cry hit # 2 R&B and # 33 Pop. And from there, almost continually through to 1976 she would become a fixture with 27 more R&B hits and 26 Pop entries, along with one - Two Sides (To Every Story) - making it to # 16 on the Adult Contemporary charts which weren't introduced until 1961. It also made it to # 63 Pop in late 1963 and, except for the fact that the R&B charts had been suspended from late 1963 and for all of 1964, it would have been a major hit there. Unfortunately, that splendid effort is not included in this album.

But many more are included, fully detailed in the notes, and if you are looking for one Etta James compilation which represents her best, this is it.

The now 73-year-old Etta James was selected to the R&R Hall of Fame in 1993 and to the Blues Hall Of Fame in 2001. A legend in every sense of the word.

First of all....R.I.P. Etta! This album is very good. it has much of the best stuff, from 1954-2004.....remastered and all for us....yes, I've never been a fan of comps. but this one is cool! 36 tracks and a good booklet with photos and musician credits. That cover photo is AMAZING, and gets under the skin, before the first track even begins.

Before I write this review, let me tell you how I came across knowing just who in the hell Etta James is. I was watching TV one day and a commercial started with At Last as the music, I loved the song instantly and wanted to hear more from this wonderful songstress. I came across this album and decided to buy it, but was surprised by the woman on the cover as I thought she was surely not the same woman with such a powerful voice, as to look at her she looks so small and frail and you can't imagine that such a powerful and soulful voice can come from such a petit lady.

What I would usually do when writing reviews for albums is I would list my favourite songs and recommend that you purchase this album to see what you think of her. I can't do this however, as every song is a true soulful gem and this is an album that you will buy before you die as it's simply her best work compiled into one great CD.

Etta has such a passionate soul and when expressing that in song, you can't help but fall in love with the woman and her music. At only 21 I feel that all youngsters should be exposed to her music as it's something that can only be experienced yourself, but when you do you wont look back.

I bought this cd set 3 years ago and I will never get sick of it. How can you? Etta has a soulful and stunning voice. There is/was no one like her in this world. My kids love it, my husband loves it, and I love it. Buy it.