Stickin' to My Guns

Stickin' to My Guns is the sixteenth studio album by Etta James, released in 1990. It was nominated for a Grammy for "Best Contemporary Blues Recording".

Production
The album contains a duet with rapper Def Jef. Although it reunited her with several Muscle Shoals musicians, James later expressed ambivalence about the more electronic sound of the album. Stickin' to My Guns was produced by Barry Beckett.

Critical reception
Rolling Stone called the album "a nonstop dance party filled with house rockers like 'Love to Burn' and turn-the-lights-down-low, slow-grind numbers like 'Your Good Thing (Is About to End)'." MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide deemed it "a largely unsuccessful attempt to incorporate rap and hip-hop into a more traditional R&B context." The New York Times called it "the best album Aretha Franklin never made, as Ms. James belts out songs about lovers and deceivers."

Personnel

 * Etta James - lead vocals
 * Barry Beckett - keyboards
 * Gary Burnette - acoustic guitar
 * Thomas Cain - backing vocals
 * Carol Chase - backing vocals
 * Ashley Cleveland - backing vocals
 * Def Jef - backing vocals
 * Quitman Dennis - trombone
 * Brother Gene Dinwiddie - tenor saxophone
 * Greg Donerson - percussion
 * Dobie Gray - backing vocals
 * Jack Hale - trombone
 * Roger Hawkins - drums
 * Mike Haynes - trumpet
 * Teenie Hodges - acoustic guitar
 * Jim Horn - baritone saxophone
 * Mike Lawler - synthesizer
 * Carl Marsh - programming, synthesizer
 * Arik Marshall - electric guitar
 * John Dewey McKnight - trombone
 * Jonell Mosser - backing vocals
 * Leo Nocentelli - electric guitar
 * David Patterson - baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
 * Jim Pugh - keyboards, piano
 * Fernando Pullum - trumpet
 * Danny Rhodes - acoustic guitar
 * Michael Rhodes - bass guitar
 * Josh Sklair - acoustic guitar
 * Bobby Vega - bass guitar
 * Jimmie Wood - harmonica
 * Reggie Young - electric guitar