I once had an argument with a black friend of mine. She asked if I had watched the Obama inauguration on television, I told her, 'No'. It had been on in the background but I was visiting my family on my annual visit so I wasn't really sitting down to watch anything. I told her though that one thing had stuck out in my mind, why on earth was Beyonce singing, At Last? She laughed and said, 'Why, who should have sang it Etta James?' The answer to that of course (in my opinion) was YES!
Etta James made it clear that she was not a fan of Beyonce and her comments in regards to this have since been classified by her son as being the result of drug-induced dementia. I find this incredibly unfair. I don't like Beyonce either and I certainly am not suffering from dementia or adverse drug-related side effects. It's true that Etta James did not write the song so legally they would not have had to consult her prior to having it performed but this does not explain why they would select Beyonce of all people or why they would not have wanted Etta to sing it herself. As much as I like Obama this diss to Etta James has always nagged at me. To me At Last is and always will be her song. And that is how she should be remembered.
A good article concerning the controvery, Etta James Disses Beyonce's Inauguration Performance
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