Tag Archives: Donto James

Etta James: Let’s Roll

On May 6, 2003, “Private Music” label released “Let’s Roll”, the twenty-sixth Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 2003, and was produced by Etta James, Josh Sklair, Donto Metto James and Sametto James. “Let’s Roll” won a “Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album” in 2003, and in 2004 the “W. C. Handy Award” as the “Soul/Blues Album of the Year” from the “Blues Foundation”.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocal
  • Josh Sklair – banjo, 12 string guitar, acoustic and electric, slide guitar, synthesizer
  • Bobby Murray – electric guitar
  • Jimmy “Z” Zavala – harmonica, tenor and baritone saxophone
  • Sametto James – bass guitar
  • Donto James – vocals, drums, percussion
  • Tom Poole – trumpet
  • Lee Thornburg – trombone

Track listing:

  1. Somebody to Love – Delbert McClinton, Gary Nicholson
  2. The Blues Is My Business – Kevin Bowe, Todd Cerney
  3. Leap of Faith – Glen Clarke, Gary Nicholson
  4. Strongest Weakness – Bekka Bramlett, Gary Nicholson
  5. Wayward Saints of Memphis – Kevin Bowe, Delbert McClinton
  6. Lie No Better – Gary Nicholson
  7. Trust Yourself – Kevin Bowe, Grady Champion
  8. A Change Is Gonna Do Me Good – Al Anderson, Bob DiPiero
  9. Old Weakness – Gary Nicholson
  10. Stacked Deck – Billy Wright
  11. On the 7th Day – Kevin Bowe, Kostas Lazarides
  12. Please, No More – David Egan, Greg Hansen

Etta James: The Dreamer

On November 8, 2011, “Verve Forecast” label released “The Dreamer”, the twenty-ninth and final Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 2011, at “Fort Athens Studios”, and was produced by Etta James, Josh Sklair, Danto and Sametto.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • Big Terry De Rouen, Bobby Murray, Leo Nocentelli – guitar
  • Josh Sklair – guitar
  • Divid Kirk Mathews – keyboards
  • Sametto James – bass
  • Donto James – drums, engineer
  • Jimmy Z – saxophone
  • Lee Thornburg – trumpet, arrangements
  • Kraig Kilby – trombone
  • Terry Howard – engineer
  • Ed Cherney – mixing
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Rudy Calvo – make-up
  • Artis Mills, Lupe De Leon – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Groove Me – King Floyd
  2. Champagne & Wine – Otis Redding
  3. Dreamer – Bobby Bland
  4. Welcome to the Jungle – Guns N’ Roses
  5. Misty Blue – Bob Montgomery
  6. Boondocks – Little Big Town
  7. Cigarettes & Coffee – Otis Redding
  8. In the Evening – Ray Charles
  9. Too Tired – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
  10. That’s the Chance You Take – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
  11. Let Me Down Easy – Little Milton

Etta James: Blues to the Bone

On June 8, 2004, “RCA Victor” label released “Blues to the Bone”, the twenty-seventh Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 2004, and was produced by Etta James, Donto James, Josh Sklar and Sametto James. In 2005, “Blues to the Bone” won “Grammy Award” for “Best Traditional Blues Album”.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – vocals
  • Josh Sklair – guitar, dobro, arrangements
  • Bobby Murray – guitars
  • Brian Ray – guitar, slide guitar
  • Mike Finnigan – piano
  • John “Juke” Logan – harmonica
  • Sametto James – bass
  • Donto Metto James – drums

Track listing:

  1. I Got My Mojo Working – Preston Foster
  2. Don’t Start Me to Talking – Sonny Boy Williamson II
  3. Hush Hush – Jimmy Reed
  4. Lil’ Red Rooster – Willie Dixon
  5. That’s Alright – Jimmy Rogers
  6. Crawlin’ King Snake – John Lee Hooker
  7. Dust My Broom – Robert Johnson
  8. The Sky Is Crying – Elmore James
  9. Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
  10. You Shook Me – Willie Dixon, J. B. Lenoir
  11. Driving Wheel – Roosevelt Sykes
  12. Honey, Don’t Tear My Clothes – Lightnin’ Hopkins

Etta James: All the Way

On March 14, 2006, “RCA Victor” label released “All the Way”, the 28th Etta James album. It was recorded in 2005, and was produced by Sametto James, Donto James and Joshua Sklair.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – lead and backing vocals, executive producer
  • Joshua Sklair – acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals, recording, mastering, music director
  • Bobby Murray – electric guitar
  • David K. Mathews – keyboards, strings
  • Sametto James – acoustic and electric bass, backing vocals, recording
  • Donto James – drums, percussion, backing vocals, recording
  • Ronnie Buttacavoli – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Randy Williams – backing vocals
  • Tamara Oliver – backing vocals
  • Ed Cherney – mixing, mastering
  • Anthony Montes De Oca – photography
  • Lithofayne Pridgeon – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. All the Way – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen
  2. Stop On By – Thomas Truman, Bobby Womack
  3. Strung Out – Johnny Watson
  4. Somewhere – Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim
  5. Holding Back the Years – Michael James Hucknall, Neil Moss
  6. Imagine – John Lennon
  7. I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly
  8. It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World – James Brown, Betty Newsome
  9. Purple Rain – Prince
  10. What’s Going On – Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
  11. Calling You – Robert E. Telson