Now, we're 15-year-olds and we're going to the hotel with the band and Johnny Otis?

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

Later, in San Francisco, she formed a singing group called the Creolettes, who were discovered by bandleader Johnny Otis, who coincidentally also died this week.

BBC: Etta James: Soul legend dies in California

All of a sudden we got a call that night, and it was Abby calling us back to say, listen, guess who I'm with, I'm with Johnny Otis.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

Johnny Otis was like about a 34 or 35-year-old man.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles in 1938, it was her first manager and promoter, Johnny Otis, who gave her the name Etta James, cutting up Jamesetta and reversing it.

NPR: "Matriarch of the Blues" Etta James dies at 71

So Johnny Otis snatched the phone from her.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

She went to see the Johnny Otis band.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

And we go, oh Johnny Otis.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

And she said, yeah, Johnny Otis.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

And it was Johnny Otis.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song

Sure enough as we pulled up we saw this tall man, you know, we'd all seen pictures of Johnny Otis with the nice hair and he looked like - he looked like a tall, kind of, like a creole man with a nice mustache and a beard and, you know, nice pompadour hair, and he was standing there all stately, and he had two or three more guys with him.

NPR: Etta James: Still Singing Her Song