Aretha Franklin, The #26 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Three

 

(Continued from Part Two)

 

In 1972, Aretha wrote "Rock Steady", #2 R&B and #9 overall, but got plenty of help from Donny Hathaway on organ and Dr. John on percussion.  "There were lots of good vibes," producer Arif Mardin said.  "It was a dream come true."

 Franklin went back to Gospel for the great live album Amazing Grace, which reached #7, sold over two million copies and yielded her version of the amazing title song.  It was recorded in January 1972 at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, with Reverend James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir accompanying Franklin in performance.

 

The recording was originally released as a double album on June 1, 1972, by Atlantic Records.  It also won Franklin the 1973 Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance.

 

On the heels of that classic, Aretha turned to the Young, Gifted and Black album again for the single "Day Dreaming", her 12th #1 song on the R&B chart that also reached #9 overall and sold over one million copies.

 

The album went Gold and gave us this amazing track--Aretha's cover of the Nina Simone song "Young, Gifted And Black".

 

She scored another big hit in 1974 with a song co-written by Stevie Wonder which featured lavish production, "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna' Do)", a #3 smash.  Aretha recorded the song after Wonder played it for her. 

 However, Aretha went through another dry spell that consisted of 13 single releases and 12 years before she scored another big hit.  Nevertheless, she continued to be rewarded with Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "To Be Young, Gifted And Black") and Best Soul Gospel Performance (for "Amazing Grace" in 1973) and her seventh straight win for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1974 for "Master Of Eyes (The Deepness Of Your Eyes)".  

Aretha got the help of esteemed producer Quincy Jones on "Angel" in 1973.  Franklin's sister Carolyn (who recorded several albums of her own) wrote it for her.

 Bethune Cookman College presented Franklin with an honorary Doctor of Law in 1975 and Aretha won her eighth consecutive Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing".  Her dominance from 1968-1975 is still a record in that category.  

   

"Mr.DJ (5 for the DJ)" is from the 1975 album You.

Curtis Mayfield wrote "Something He Can Feel" for the soundtrack to the 1976 movie Sparkle.  The film, about a female trio's struggle for success in Harlem in the '60's, starred Irene Cara in an early role along with Lonette McKee and Dwan Smith.  Mayfield told Billboard he wrote it based on "how I thought a woman might feel when she was to love a man."

Franklin was nominated at the Grammys for Best Female Soul R&B Performance in 1977 ("Something He Can Feel"), 1978 ("Break It To Me Gently") and 1979 ("Almighty Fire").  Aretha earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979.

In 1980, Aretha left Atlantic for Arista Records and appeared in the movie The Blues Brothers.  She sang for Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Albert Hall in London and also appeared in the movie The Blues Brothers.  She was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards in 1981 for "I Can't Turn You Loose" and captured the award the following year for "Hold On!  I'm Comin'".  

 "United Together" is the standout track on from Franklin's album Aretha.

In 1983, Franklin was nominated for another Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the album Jump to It and won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.  Aretha was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1984 for "Get It Right".

 

"Every Girl (Wants My Guy)", co-written by Luther Vandross for Franklin's album Get It Right features the great Paulinho da Costa on percussion.

More from the Queen of Soul in Part Four!