Ashley HayIntroduction to American MusicDonnie Norton3/31/14Throughout history, many different varieties of music have been performed. There have also been several American artists who have made important contributions to the development of American music. Many artists out there have had a huge impact not only on the development of American music but also on the people. In this article I will focus exclusively on the life of Etta James, who was a great inspiration to young Americans. Etta James, originally "JamesEtta" Hawkins, was born on January 25, 1938 in Los Angeles, California. His mother's name was Dorothy Hawkins. She was African American. (Rolling Stone Magazine.) Etta James was raised by her mother. She grew up not knowing who her father was. Rudolf Walter Wanderon Jr., also known as "Minnesota Fats", an American professional billiards player, was once said to be his father. During part of his childhood. Etta was raised mostly by some of her friends and relatives who lived near her in the nearby neighborhood. Everyone loved Etta. Etta began performing at the young age of five. At this age, Etta was known as a gospel prodigy. She grew up attending church. The first time he sang was in the choir of the church he attended. At twelve years old he began singing in a trio. When Etta was fifteen she was what some might call a rebellious child. He started dropping out of school just to go out with friends and drink because he thought he could be independent. At the age of sixteen Etta was kicked out of high school. In 1954 Etta began recording one of her hit songs titled "The Wall Flower". 1955 is the year Etta... middle of the page... er, she sang, you could hear all the pain in her voice. He had every reason to feel pain. He went through many difficult times. He struggled much of his life, not only with drugs, but with other things as well. One really important thing that Etta did was change the way people looked at black people. His songs were so powerful that people didn't care what color his skin was because he was telling the truth, and he didn't care what people thought. When Etta became managed by Johnny Otis "The Godfather of Rhythm and Blues", her motivation to end segregation began. Etta was such a powerful singer that her music influenced the creation of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Etta has received so many awards for her outstanding achievements. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. She influenced so many people around the world.