Leela James | |
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 James live at Stockholm Jazz Festival. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alechia Janeice Campbell [1] |
| Also known as | Alechia James |
| Born | May 22, 1974 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | www.leelajames.com |
Alechia Janeice Campbell (born May 22, 1974) known professionally as Leela James, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California.
James made her debut on the soundtrack to the 2000 Jamie Foxx film Bait on the Roots song "Work", credited as Alechia James.
In 2004, James toured as an opening act for the Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray. That same year, she was featured on hip hop producer, DJ, and emcee Pete Rock's album Soul Survivor II , providing vocals to the track "No Tears". In 2005, she lent her voice to the posthumously released Ray Charles album Genius & Friends , duetting with the singer on the song "Compared to What".
James' debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come , was released on June 21, 2005. James co-wrote most of the tracks on this album, two exceptions being her covers of the pop rock band No Doubt's 1996 hit "Don't Speak", and the Sam Cooke song "A Change Is Gonna Come". Notable collaborators on the album include Raphael Saadiq, Kanye West and Wyclef Jean.
James guested on Robert Randolph and the Family Band's 2006 album Colorblind , lending her vocals to "Stronger".
After parting ways with Warner Bros., James signed with the independent label Shanachie Records and released her second studio album on March 24, 2009, an all-cover set entitled Let's Do It Again , in homage to the Staple Singers.
In June 2009, James appeared on the Moby album Wait for Me , performing the vocal on "Walk with Me".
James' third album My Soul , her first with the Stax label, was released on May 24, 2010, and debuted on the US Hip Hop/R&B chart at No. 7. Speaking in May 2010 to UK soul writer Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul , she stated: "With this album I wanted to make sure that I showed all sides of me – in terms of variety in the music and in my vocal range – while at the same time making it clear that every song deeply came from my soul. Plus I also wanted to incorporate a little more hip hop this time, and infuse it with my traditional R&B – because I felt that. By making my beats edgier and harder-hitting, I'd show there was more to me than just doing ballads and things of that sort." [2]
On July 31, 2012, James released her fourth studio album , Loving You More... In the Spirit of Etta James . Originally the album was going to have one song honoring Etta James, but with her death it became a full tribute album. It was released by Shanachie Records. [3]
On July 8, 2014, James released her fifth studio album, Fall For You. The album's first two singles, "Say That" feat. Anthony Hamilton and "Fall For You" both reached Top 15 on the Billboard Urban AC charts, with "Fall For You" reaching No. 12. James supported her album with tours nationwide, including performances at Essence Music Festival, Arizona Jazz Fest, San Diego Jazz Fest, Capitol Jazz Fest, and more.
James' sixth album, Did It for Love was released on March 31, 2017, by Shesangz Music under license to BMG. [4] The album has the singles "Don't Want You Back" released on October 28, 2016, [5] "Hard for Me" released on February 25, 2017, [6] "Don't Mean a Thang" released on March 27, 2017, [7] and a video single "All Over Again" on May 4, 2017. [8] The single "Don't Want You Back" reached number 1 on Billboard' Adult R&B Songs chart on April 15, 2017, becoming her highest-charting single ever. [9] [10]
In February 2021, James debuted the song "Complicated", the first single off her seventh studio album See Me . It peaked at No. 3 on Billboard' Adult R&B Songs chart on August 21, 2021.
In 2014 and 2015, she starred in seasons 2 and 3 of the TV One reality show R&B Divas: Los Angeles . [11]
James cites singers James Brown, Roberta Flack, Toni Braxton, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Etta James as influences. [12]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | NAACP Image Award [13] | Outstanding New Artist | Leela James | Nominated |
| 2008 | Soul Train Music Award [14] | Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist | "Music" | Nominated |
| 2009 | SoulTracks Readers Choice Award [15] | Female Artist of the Year | Leela James | Won |
Jamesetta Hawkins, known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "The Wallflower", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind". She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse, and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.
Silk is an American R&B group, formed in 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia. They are best known for their 1993 hit single, "Freak Me", which reached number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Chanté Torrane Moore is an American singer-songwriter, television personality, and author. Rising to fame in the early 1990s, Moore established herself as an R&B singer.
Teedra Shenita Moses is an American R&B and soul singer.
Alicia Michelle "Miki" Howard is an American R&B singer who had a string of top 10 hit songs in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, including "Baby, Be Mine" (1987), "Come Share My Love" (1986) and "Love Under New Management" (1990). "Ain't Nobody Like You" (1992) and "Ain't Nuthin' in the World" (1989) both peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B Singles chart.
"At Last" is a song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Sun Valley Serenade (1941). Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded the tune several times, with a 1942 version reaching number two on the US Billboard pop music chart.
At Last! is the debut studio album by American blues and soul artist Etta James. Released on Argo Records in November 1960 the album was produced by Phil and Leonard Chess. At Last! also rose to no. 12 upon the Billboard Top Catalog Albums chart.
Tell Mama is the seventh studio album by American singer Etta James. Her second album release for Cadet Records, produced by Rick Hall at his FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, it was James's first album since 1964 to enter the Billboard 200 chart. It contained her first Top 10 R&B hits since 1964 – the title cut and "Security". The "Tell Mama" single gave James her all-time highest Billboard Hot 100 position, reaching number 23.
High Energy is the twenty-eighth studio album by American girl group the Supremes, released in 1976 on the Motown label. The album is the first to feature Susaye Greene; former member of Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove; and is notable for featuring the last Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 pop hit for the group, "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking". Of their 1970s releases, High Energy is the second-highest charting album on the US Billboard 200, the first being Right On (1970). In Canada, High Energy is the highest-charting Supremes album since TCB (1968).
"I'd Rather Go Blind" is a blues song written by Ellington Jordan with co-writing credits to Billy Foster and Etta James. It was first recorded by Etta James in 1967, released the same year, and has subsequently become regarded as a blues and soul classic.
"Don't Touch Me" is a song written by Hank Cochran. It was originally written for and recorded by American country artist Jeannie Seely. The song was released as a single on Monument Records in March 1966 and became a major Billboard country hit. "Don't Touch Me" became Seely's signature song and her biggest hit as a solo artist. It would later appear on her debut studio album and be re-recorded by Seely in later years.
The discography of American R&B and soul singer Keke Wyatt consists of five studio albums, two unreleased albums, twelve singles, four collaborations and nine music videos. Wyatt has had three record deals with MCA Records, Shanachie Records and her own record label Aratek Entertainment distributed through INgrooves Music Group.
Let's Do It Again is the second studio album by American soul singer-songwriter Leela James, released in the United States on March 24, 2009 by Shanachie Records. The album is a collection of cover versions of '60s, '70s, and '80s R&B songs, and its title is a reference to the 1975 soundtrack album of the same name, whose title track, performed by The Staple Singers, is also covered on this album.
Call My Name is the sixth studio album by American blues artist, Etta James. The album was produced by Leonard Chess and released on Cadet Records in 1967.
My Soul is the third studio album by American soul singer-songwriter Leela James. It was released by Stax Records on May 25, 2010, in the United States, marking James' debut with the label. Her highest-charting effort to date, the album debuted and peaked at number 7 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Blue Gardenia is the twenty-fifth studio album by Etta James, released through the record label Private Music. It was produced by John Snyder, who had worked with James on five of her previous studio albums. Blue Gardenia contains thirteen jazz standards from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. All of the standards were arranged by pianist Cedar Walton, with the exception of "Love Letters", which was arranged by Josh Sklair. Between November 2000 and February 2001, Snyder and Walton assembled musicians to record tracks while James was recovering from a flu; her vocals were added following her recovery. In addition to Walton, artists appearing on the album included Red Holloway on tenor saxophone and Dorothy Hawkins, James' mother, who provided vocals on the title track. Hawkins died in May 2002, less than a year after the album's release.
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" is a song by American singer Etta James. The song was written by James, Leroy Kirkland and Pearl Woods, while production was handled by Leonard and Phil Chess. It was released in 1962 as the third single from her 1962 self-titled album as a 7" vinyl disc. Musically, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is an R&B track with elements of soul, blues and gospel. Upon its release, the single was an R&B hit, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot R&B Sides chart.
"Tell Mama" is a song written by Clarence Carter, Marcus Daniel and Wilbur Terrell. It is best known in its 1967 recording by Etta James. An earlier version of the song was first recorded in 1966 by Carter, as "Tell Daddy".
The discography of American R&B and jazz singer Chanté Moore consists of six studio albums, two collaborative albums, twenty-three singles, twenty collaborations and eleven music videos. Moore has had four record deals with MCA Records, Arista Records/LaFace Records, Peak Records and Shanachie Records, before founding CM7 Records.
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.
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