CHESS RECORDS FIRST SOUL SINGER SUCCUMBS Etta James song At Last places the R&B, Rock and Jazz legend into music grandeur. Etta James is born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938. In the early 1950s, bandleader Johnny Otis discovers her singing on San Francisco street corners with a couple of girlfriends. In 1987, James tells The Associated Press: At the time, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters had a hit with 'Work with Me, Annie', and we decided to do an answer. Their reply to Ballard's song is Roll with Me, Henry. When Johnny Otis hears the song, he tells 15-year-old James to get her mother's permission to go with him to Los Angeles to make a recording. Etta forges her mother's name on a note that claims she is 18. James remembers: At that time, you weren't allowed to say 'roll' because it was considered vulgar...when Georgia Gibbs did her version, she renamed it 'Dance With Me, Henry' and it went to #1. In 1959, she signs with Chicago's legendary Chess label and cranks out the hits. Chess founder, Leonard Chess, calls James their first female soul singer. She goes on tours with star entertainers Bobby Vinton, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Everly Brothers. In the late 1950s and 1960s James records a string of hits that includes her Evergreen Classic, At Last. Etta James dies of leukemia at 73 on Friday, January 20, 2012 in a Riverside, CA hospital. She turns 74 on Wednesday.

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RHYTHM AND BLUES GODFATHER BIDS FAREWELL Johnny Otis brings black music to white audiences. Johnny's biggest hit is Willie and the Hand Jive (#9 summer 1958) but for decades he promotes black music to white audiences as a bandleader and radio host on Pacifica Public Radio stations KPFK FM (90.7) Los Angeles and KPFA FM (94.1) Berkeley, CA. Johnny Otis is white. He is born John Veliotes December 8, 1921 in Vallejo, CA to Greek immigrants. He grows up in a black section of Berkeley, where he claims to identify far more with black decorum than his own. As a teen, he changes his name to Johnny Otis because he believes that it sounds more black. In 1945, his first big hit is Harlem Nocturne. In 1950, 10 of his songs land on Billboard's R&B chart. Otis recognizes and promotes talent. He discovers such legendary R&B vocalists as Etta James, Hank Ballard, Big Mama Thornton and the Robins (who evolve into the Coasters). Johnny produces Big Mama's original version of Hound Dog which Elvis Presley turns into solid Gold. Johnny Otis dies at 90 on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 in his home in the Los Angeles, CA suburb of Altadena. His survivors include his wife, Phyllis [whom he marries in 1941]; daughters Janet and Laura plus several grandchildren.

TRIVIA QUESTION: When does the original NFL Today premiere on CBS TV with Brent Musburger? The answer appears below.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

•HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Jo Bussell [CBS Radio] finally makes it to legal age on Monday, January 16th. Dick Glancey [former KLIF-1190 newscaster] on Monday, January 23rd. Kendall Dunaway [radio legend Chuck Dunaway's lovely bride] on Wednesday, January 25th. Jim Pruett [former Hudson & Harrigan KILT-610; Stevens & Pruett KULF-790, KLOL FM (101.1) Houston, TX] on Wednesday, January 25th. Salute! •RICHARD THRELKELD award-winning CBS TV and ABC TV News correspondent dies at 74 on Friday morning, January 13, 2012 when his car plows into a propane tanker on New York's Long Island.

ENTERTAINMENT AND NEWS MILESTONES

•1955 KORK TV (now KVBC) NBC CH 3 in Las Vegas, NV 1st broadcast is on January 23rd. •1969 ELVIS PRESLEY records Suspicious Minds on January 23rd at the American Studios in Memphis, TN. •1978 NFL PRO BOWL: NFC beats AFC 14-13 on January 23rd. •1987 REBA MCENTIRE's Whoever's In New England is her first Gold album on January 23rd. •1993 THOMAS A. DORSEY Jazz pianist after the death of his wife and child in 1930 writes Take My Hand, Precious Lord dies at 93 on January 23rd in Chicago, IL. •2008 TAYLOR SWIFT's single Picture to Burn releases to radio on Big Machine records on January 23rd.

EMAILS YES WE HAVE EMAIL

FRANK HALEY (Albuquerque, NM) I just heard from Paul Menard that Richard (Dick) Mock died Dec. 1, 2011. Had you heard that??? Here’s what I got from Paul Menard: 'In case you didn't know Richard passed away in December (I believe) from lung complications due to a heavy bacteria being spread by the tornado that killed some people. As a matter of fact when I first found him in a Springfield (MO) hospital he was in his hospital room with 2 members of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-WW2-era Malaria Control division of the Dept. of Health) out of Atlanta. Richard was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame last year and he was overjoyed. Paul Menard' (www.joplinglobe.com) That's all I know... Frank

CONNELL MILLER (Bella Vista, AR) Subject: Sad day in the music world...My musical comrades...Man, it's a sad day in the music world, as we've lost both Etta James and Johnny Otis. Yahoo News had a great story on Otis, which I've copied into Word. You can click on the attachment and read it. He sure did a lot more in the biz than just "Willie and the Hand Jive." Can't remember that one great hit of Etta's that Ronnie Hawkins used to do in the early '60s, with Robbie playing that soulful blues guitar (before his flamboyant - and less "bluesy" - playing in The Band). She was one of the best!  Great, Jim, I'll be looking for it! By the way - that "Robbie" I mentioned playing with Ronnie Hawkins was Robbie Robertson. Thanks...you and Lacy have a great weekend as well! Connell

WHERE DO YOU READ JRRR? Tell us how far away from Houston, TX that you read JRRR. Got a news tip or a question? Send your full Name, City, State and Country of residence to Rosekkkj@earthlink.net.

ALAN SHAPIRO (Houston-Lake Conroe, TX) Subject: Jay West. Hi Jay, this is Alan Shapiro, hope you're doing well. I just wanted to let you know that I speak to Danny O every month or so and he's doing great in Nashville. I spent 3 years there in the '90 as GM of Giant Records. I finally moved out of CA this Christmas and am living on Lake Conroe...let's keep in touch=

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MIKE MARSHALL (Houston, TX) Subject: Reading for the Blind. Jim, I would like to thank Ira Lipson for mentioning the work being done by current and former broadcasters as a service to blind and visually handicapped listeners. I have been volunteering at Sight Into Sound Radio in Houston for a little over three years. Over two hundred fifty volunteers read newspapers, magazines and books to the blind community. The signal is transmitted over PBS Houston's digital channel 8.4 and is available on special receivers supplied at no charge to the listener. I read the Houston Chronicle every Thursday morning and host a show called Senior Notes with music and news for seniors. It's fun and very rewarding. (Almost every day someone has brought in candy or doughnuts). Anyone in the Houston area that is interested should contact www.sightintosound.org. I'm sorry I didn't start years ago. Mike Marshall

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MIKE SHANNON (Dallas-Mesquite, TX) Subject: WFAA promo. Hi Jim! Thanks for the newspaper scan that Mike Marshall sent you...sorry for being so late in responding to it. You guys were quite a clean-cut group! Handsome and dapper, but that look was indeed short-lived in the late 60s. Someone told me once that the reason for dressing up for a job was that, if you looked professional, you'd act and feel professional. Doesn't say much about today's dress codes...ha. Thanks again, and hope all is well! Mike (www.knus99.com/)

TRIVIA ANSWER: During the 1964 season, Frank Gifford hosts a 15-minute regional sports program NFL Report which later that season retitles to The NFL Today. In 1967, The NFL Today expands to 30 minutes. In 1971, when Frank Gifford leaves CBS to call play-by-play on ABC's Monday Night Football Jack Whitaker and Pat Summerall take over The NFL Today hosting duties. In 1973, The NFL Today originates from CBS TV's New York studios with reports from stadiums around the country. In 1974, CBS abandons its pre-recorded NFL Today show and its quickie wrap-up show, Pro Football Report, for the live show The NFL on CBS. On September 15, 1974, the revamped NFL Today debuts a new three-segment format with hosts Jack Whitaker and Lee Leonard. CBS renames its stadium studios and its pre-game CBS Control set the CBS Sports Center. CBS TV eliminates its third member position at CBS Control often held by Dick Stockton. On September 21, 1975 CBS TV pioneers the NFL pre-game studio show, The NFL Today, with Brent Musburger, Phyllis George, Irv Cross and Jimmy The Greek Snyder. The NFL Today sets the Gold standard for all network and cable studio shows by winning 13 Emmys.

DAVID FAULKNER (Dallas, TX) Subject: Belated Happy New Year! Jim & Lacy, Best Wishes for a Happy 2012! I shouldn't be late with these. The way time flies, it'll be 2013 before we know it. :) Peace, David Faulkner

ROBERT W. PAUL (October 3, 1869 – March 28, 1943) I'm a little bit older, a little bit wiser, a little bit rounder, but still none the wiser.

Jim Rose and Lacy
Houston, Texas - Laus Deo

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