At Last! is the first album ever made by American blues and soul singer Etta James. It came out on Argo Records in November 1960 and was made by Phil and Leonard Chess. The album reached number 12 on the Billboard Top Catalog Albums chart.
At Last! was listed at number 191 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It was named the 62nd best album of the 1960s by Pitchfork.
History
The album At Last! was first released as a 12-inch LP with ten tracks, five on each side. Phil and Leonard Chess believed Etta James’s voice could appeal to a wider audience, so they used orchestral music to support her singing on many tracks. The album led to the release of four singles: "All I Could Do Was Cry," "Trust in Me," "At Last," and "My Dearest Darling." It also included covers of pop and jazz standards, such as "Stormy Weather," "A Sunday Kind of Love," and "I Just Want to Make Love to You." In 1987, the album was released for the first time by MCA/Chess. It was later digitally remastered and reissued on compact disc in 1999, with four additional duet tracks performed with Harvey Fuqua: "My Heart Cries," "Spoonful," "It's a Crying Shame," and "If I Can't Have You."
Covers
The album's title track has been performed by artists including Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Joni Mitchell, Leela James, Cyndi Lauper, Randy Crawford, Celine Dion, Connie Wilson, and Christina Aguilera. The song "All I Could Do Was Cry" was performed by both Beyoncé and Gladys Knight & the Pips. A Simlish version of the title track was made for the trailer of The Sims 4's 11th game pack, "My Wedding Stories."
Critical reception
At Last! has received positive reviews from music critics. Stephen Cook from AllMusic rated the album five out of five stars. He wrote that James performed at her best in a mix of blues, R&B, and jazz songs. Cook also said the album had strong songs throughout. He noted that James's voice handled jazz songs like "Stormy Weather" and "A Sunday Kind of Love" well, as well as the blues song "I Just Want to Make Love to You" by Willie Dixon. James showed her skill especially on the title track, moving smoothly from powerful blues singing to softer, more delicate phrasing. Her style, inspired by Ruth Brown, added to the music's intensity. A writer from Rolling Stone described James as a passionate interpreter on this captivating album.
Commercial response
The album "At Last!" reached number 12 on the Billboard Top Catalog Albums chart. The album's singles, "At Last," "All I Could Do Was Cry," "Trust in Me," and "My Dearest Darling," reached numbers 2, 2, 4, and 5, respectively, on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart. The single "At Last" was given a gold certification by the RIAA.
Personnel
- Etta James – singer
- Harvey Fuqua – singer
- Leonard Chess – music producer
- Phil Chess – music producer
- Riley Hampton – music arranger, music conductor
- Don Kamerer – written notes inside the album
- Don Bronstein – album cover design