From her early years as a diva of rhythm and blues, ETTA JAMES has since grown into a voice that literally transcends generations. It doesn’t matter whether she is singing an old standard, a Broadway hit, or a rock ‘n’ roll anthem, she is always reaching into a deep level of musical consciousness – a place primal yet sophisticated, struggling yet triumphant, scarred yet proud. The Essential ETTA JAMES covers her work over the last twenty years, from the Billie Holiday tribute album, Mystery Lady, to her most recent recording, the wide ranging All the Way, featuring music from John Lennon, Prince, Leonard Bernstein and Marvin Gaye.