The Atlantic years (1967-1979) dominate the set, beginning with two previously unreleased demos which were furnished to producer Jerry Wexler: the classic "Try a Little Tenderness" (which she had previously recorded at Columbia with producer Robert Mersey) and an Aretha-ized spin on Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen's Sinatra staple, "My Kind of Town," refashioned to Detroit rather than Chicago.
At Columbia, Franklin showed her mastery of jazz-inflected adult pop and also took her first steps as a pure R&B artist - a genre in which she would find full flower once she signed with Atlantic Records. The box covers Franklin's Columbia years via 10 tracks including her first chart single ("Won't Be Long"), early R&B hits ("Runnin' Out of Fools," "One Step Ahead," and "Cry Like a Baby"), and standards ("Skylark"). Aretha adds up to an alternative history of Franklin's extraordinary career.įollowing that first single from the teenaged gospel singer, Aretha proceeds in mostly chronological fashion. Its 81 tracks span her entire career - from her first single on JBV Records through her years on Columbia, Atlantic, and Arista - via hits, rarities, live tracks, and many previously unreleased cuts. While the late icon has been anthologized numerous times in the past, this set takes a different approach. That triumphant performance, in its audio debut, closes out the new 4-CD box set called Aretha which - after a delay from last year - is now scheduled for release on July 30 from Rhino. Nearing the song's finale, she simply but defiantly dropped her fur coat to the floor, creating an instant viral moment that elicited tears and cheers in equal measure. She had not just sung these lyrics but lived them. The undisputed Queen of Soul tore into King, Gerry Goffin, and Jerry Wexler's "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" with blazing intensity and thrilling authenticity. It was late in 2015 when audiences across the country watched Aretha Franklin take the stage at The Kennedy Center Honors to salute honoree Carole King.