Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Tim Jackson

Aired September 21, 2002 - 18:13   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's quite the site -- and sound. More than 500 musicians have gathered in California for the 45th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. Legendary blues singer Etta James is among those performing there. And CNN's Daryn Kagan takes a look at her career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She sings as though possessed. Shimmying and gyrating and caressing each and every note like a long lost love.

ETTA JAMES, BLUES SINGER: They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.

KAGAN: And so at 64, Etta James still dances, despite two bad knees and a life born of the blues.

(JAMES SINGING)

JAMES: Most of the songs I sing have that blues feeling in it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about. I don't.

KAGAN: Once upon a time, Jamesetta (ph) Hawkins was a 5-year-old prodigy singing about salvation in a South Central Los Angeles church.

As word spread about the little girl with the big voice the only person who never offered praise was Etta's own teenaged mother.

JAMES: The first time she saw me perform was at the Hollywood Bowl, it must have been three years ago. I remember her coming backstage. And she looked at me, and she says, you know what, you can really sing.

KAGAN: Dorothy Hawkins died this past May, but she outlived the man rumored to be Etta's father, the legendary pool shark Minnesota Fats.

JAMES: As far as me knowing that's my father, I don't know. But he seemed like he was.

KAGAN: She's earned a Grammy, critical acclaim, induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but she's also had her share of broken hearts, broken men, and thankfully a broken addiction to heroin. Etta James has seen it all.

(JAMES SINGING)

Maybe that's why she sings what she sings in that unmistakable manner, maybe that's why she dances, but this is one lady who will always be happiest singing the blues.

Daryn Kagan, CNN, Monterey, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Etta James is scheduled to perform at the festival in a few minutes and in the middle of it all, in the middle of the festival is our own Daryn Kagan.

Hey, there, Daryn.

KAGAN: Fredricka, this gig just gets better and better.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it seems like it.

KAGAN: I'm just backstage. Actually, where I am -- see this? All access VIP Pass. I'm actually backstage with Etta James about to go on, any minute. In fact, we're keeping our eye out for her. If she comes on up, we'll talk to her. But meanwhile, we're lucky enough to talk to Tim Jackson, the general manager of the festival.

Huge turnout.

TIM JACKSON, GENERAL MANAGER, MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL: Oh, yes. Well, people -- jazz is America's music, people love it. You're on the Monterey Peninsula, the weather's great, the music is fantastic. It's the best thing going.

KAGAN: Not exactly a tough sell is it?

JACKSON: Not a tough sell, not a tough sell. You probably want to stick around here yourself, huh?

KAGAN: I'm doing it. In fact, we're wrapping up, but I'm going to stick around to see Etta James. It seems like this is one of the top acts that people really excited to see.

JACKSON: Yes, Etta has a long history here at the festival. She hasn't been here in about eight years, so our audience is really waiting in anticipation.

KAGAN: Great. Well, I think we're doing all we can to get her on stage and looking forward to it. Good luck with the rest of the festival.

JACKSON: Thanks.

KAGAN: And you know what? I'm want to get out of here, so I can go get a great seat, to see Etta James.

Fredricka, I hate leave you doing all the work.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yeah.

KAGAN: In Atlanta...

WHITFIELD: I'm sure you do. I can tell, you're really sympathizing.

KAGAN: [LAUGHTER] But, Miss Etta is waiting for me to see her show.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yeah, I see they're warming up there. They're just waiting for you to take that perfect seat and then they're going to get going on that. All right, thanks a lot, Daryn.

KAGAN: We'll be coming live for you tomorrow. We'll see you more tomorrow, live from Monterey.

WHITFIELD: OK, very good. Look forward to it.

KAGAN: Thanks a lot.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com








Aired September 21, 2002 - 18:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's quite the site -- and sound. More than 500 musicians have gathered in California for the 45th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. Legendary blues singer Etta James is among those performing there. And CNN's Daryn Kagan takes a look at her career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She sings as though possessed. Shimmying and gyrating and caressing each and every note like a long lost love.

ETTA JAMES, BLUES SINGER: They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair. What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that? I've got to do something.

KAGAN: And so at 64, Etta James still dances, despite two bad knees and a life born of the blues.

(JAMES SINGING)

JAMES: Most of the songs I sing have that blues feeling in it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about. I don't.

KAGAN: Once upon a time, Jamesetta (ph) Hawkins was a 5-year-old prodigy singing about salvation in a South Central Los Angeles church.

As word spread about the little girl with the big voice the only person who never offered praise was Etta's own teenaged mother.

JAMES: The first time she saw me perform was at the Hollywood Bowl, it must have been three years ago. I remember her coming backstage. And she looked at me, and she says, you know what, you can really sing.

KAGAN: Dorothy Hawkins died this past May, but she outlived the man rumored to be Etta's father, the legendary pool shark Minnesota Fats.

JAMES: As far as me knowing that's my father, I don't know. But he seemed like he was.

KAGAN: She's earned a Grammy, critical acclaim, induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but she's also had her share of broken hearts, broken men, and thankfully a broken addiction to heroin. Etta James has seen it all.

(JAMES SINGING)

Maybe that's why she sings what she sings in that unmistakable manner, maybe that's why she dances, but this is one lady who will always be happiest singing the blues.

Daryn Kagan, CNN, Monterey, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And Etta James is scheduled to perform at the festival in a few minutes and in the middle of it all, in the middle of the festival is our own Daryn Kagan.

Hey, there, Daryn.

KAGAN: Fredricka, this gig just gets better and better.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it seems like it.

KAGAN: I'm just backstage. Actually, where I am -- see this? All access VIP Pass. I'm actually backstage with Etta James about to go on, any minute. In fact, we're keeping our eye out for her. If she comes on up, we'll talk to her. But meanwhile, we're lucky enough to talk to Tim Jackson, the general manager of the festival.

Huge turnout.

TIM JACKSON, GENERAL MANAGER, MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL: Oh, yes. Well, people -- jazz is America's music, people love it. You're on the Monterey Peninsula, the weather's great, the music is fantastic. It's the best thing going.

KAGAN: Not exactly a tough sell is it?

JACKSON: Not a tough sell, not a tough sell. You probably want to stick around here yourself, huh?

KAGAN: I'm doing it. In fact, we're wrapping up, but I'm going to stick around to see Etta James. It seems like this is one of the top acts that people really excited to see.

JACKSON: Yes, Etta has a long history here at the festival. She hasn't been here in about eight years, so our audience is really waiting in anticipation.

KAGAN: Great. Well, I think we're doing all we can to get her on stage and looking forward to it. Good luck with the rest of the festival.

JACKSON: Thanks.

KAGAN: And you know what? I'm want to get out of here, so I can go get a great seat, to see Etta James.

Fredricka, I hate leave you doing all the work.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yeah.

KAGAN: In Atlanta...

WHITFIELD: I'm sure you do. I can tell, you're really sympathizing.

KAGAN: [LAUGHTER] But, Miss Etta is waiting for me to see her show.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yeah, I see they're warming up there. They're just waiting for you to take that perfect seat and then they're going to get going on that. All right, thanks a lot, Daryn.

KAGAN: We'll be coming live for you tomorrow. We'll see you more tomorrow, live from Monterey.

WHITFIELD: OK, very good. Look forward to it.

KAGAN: Thanks a lot.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com