Storm Franklin

Debut studio album by Great Aretha Franklin, Released in 1956 by JVB/Battle Records. The album was recorded live when Franklin was aged 14 at New Bethel Baptist Church, the church of her father Reverend C. L. Franklin. The album was originally issued on JVB LP 100 and Battle LP 6105. It is always known on Checker Records as Checker LPS-10009. Songs of Faith has been reissued many times under various names. It is known also as The Gospel Soul of Aretha Franklin, Aretha's Gospel, Precious Lord, You Grow Closer, Never Grow Old, and The First Album.

Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul because, well, that's exactly what she is, and her legacy is built on the amazing late-'60s hits she had with Atlantic Records, a run of undisputed classics like "Respect," "I Never Loved a Man," "Chain of Fools," "Baby I Love You," and "Think." She had a few chart hits here and there most notably "Who's Zoomin' Who" and "Jump to It" after her contract with Atlantic ended in the late '70s, and she's never been less than a simply astounding singer, but her 1960s sides are easily the high-water mark of her long career, so it's disappointing to find none of those classic tracks here in this two-disc set, and one could therefore argue convincingly that this package isn't at all "the best of Aretha Franklin." What it is, actually, is a nice survey of the key tracks from her post-Atlantic years, and it's impressive, sure, but one still wants to hear those amazing Atlantic sides. They're that good, and truth be known, they eclipse most of what's presented here.

No matter how one approaches the equation, the combination of the words "voice" and "soul music" always gives the same result : Aretha ! Throughout her early career, the one who was nicknamed Lady Soul kneaded with her unique voice gospel, funk, rhythm'n'blues, jazz and soul, like no other. A voice that grew up alongside those of her sisters at the Detroit church in her pastor father's choir. The legendary John H. Hammond, who discovered the very young Aretha Franklin, signed her to Columbia in the early 1960s, eager to make her a jazz singer. But after a few sessions (anecdotal in terms of the quality of what the coming years will offer…), she spends in Jerry Wexler's Atlantic stable.

"Through the Storm" is the thirty-fifth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on Arista Records in the spring of 1989. Despite the #16 Billboard Hot 100 hit title track (a duet with Elton John), the album was not a commercial success; it reached #55 on the Billboard 200. The follow-up single, "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be", a duet with Whitney Houston, failed to make the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #41. Other guest artists included James Brown, The Four Tops and Kenny G.

Through the Storm is the thirty-second studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released on April 27, 1989, by Arista Records.

"Aretha" is the 26th studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released on September 30, 1980, by Arista Records. This was the 2nd album with this title to be released by the artist, and her first for Arista Records after a 12-year tenure with Atlantic Records. Franklin's first Arista single release, "United Together", reached #3 on the Soul chart and crossed over to #56 on Billboard's Hot 100. The album itself peaked at #47 and spent 30 weeks on the Billboard album chart. The album's opening track, "Come to Me", appeared again on Franklin's 1989 album, "Through the Storm."

"Greatest Hits (1980-1994)" is the RIAA Platinum-certified first greatest hits album released by Aretha Franklin since she signed with Arista Records in 1980. As it can be read in the title, it compiles her hits from 1980's "Aretha" all through her last album at the time, 1991's "What You See Is What You Sweat". Songs from her 1989 album "Through the Storm" were not included in the set, nor were either of her duets with Elton John and Whitney Houston. Songs from her second Arista set, 1981's "Love All the Hurt Away" were not included either, meaning neither the title track hit duet with George Benson nor her Grammy Award-winning cover of "Hold On I'm Comin'" were in the set. Other omissions include her hit duet with the Eurythmics' "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" and her 1983 Top 10 R&B hit "Every Girl (Wants My Guy)", produced by Luther Vandross.

"Aretha: Lady Soul" is the 12th studio album by Aretha Franklin, released in 1968. The album was her second R&B chart-topper, the follow-up to Aretha Arrives and included some of her biggest hit singles, "Chain of Fools" (#2 Pop), and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (#8 Pop), and "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (#5 Pop). It eventually sold over a million copies in the United States alone. "Lady Soul" peaked at #1, #2 and #3 on Billboard's Black Albums, Pop Albums and Jazz Albums charts respectively. The single "Ain't No Way" – B-Side of "Since You've Been Gone (Sweet, Sweet, Baby)" – peaked at #9 on the Black Singles chart and #16 on the Pop Singles chart.

"Let Me In Your Life" is the twentieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on February 25, 1974 by Atlantic Records. This was one of Aretha's top-selling Atlantic Records albums. The album hit #1 on Billboard's R&B albums chart and reached #14 on Billboard's main album chart, missing the Gold standard by a small margin. Featuring three hit singles, it is regarded as one of Franklin's best Atlantic recordings.