Aretha (1980 album)
Encyclopedia
Aretha is the debut album by Aretha Franklin
released on Arista Records
in 1980. 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 Billboard's main album chart, eventually selling close to 350,000 copies. It is currently out of print.
This was the second album with this title to be released by the artist, and the first ever for Arista, after a 13-year tenure with Atlantic Records
. Other Franklin albums titled "Aretha" were also released in 1986
and 1961. The disc's opening track "Come To Me" appeared again on her 1989 album "Through The Storm
".
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
released on Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in 1980. 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 Billboard's main album chart, eventually selling close to 350,000 copies. It is currently out of print.
This was the second album with this title to be released by the artist, and the first ever for Arista, after a 13-year tenure with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Other Franklin albums titled "Aretha" were also released in 1986
Aretha (1986 album)
Aretha is an Aretha Franklin album, originally released in 1986. This is the third album with this title to be released by the artist. Other Franklin albums titled Aretha were also released in 1980 and 1961....
and 1961. The disc's opening track "Come To Me" appeared again on her 1989 album "Through The Storm
Through the Storm
- Track listing :# "You Know That I Know"# "My Everything"# "Through the Storm"# "I'm Free"# "Even Me"# "Forever with Me"# "The Only Way"# "Just a Prayer Away"# "A Message to You"# "Let Thy Will Be Done"-Chart positions:...
".
Track listing
- "Come To Me" (Willard Eugene Price) (3:42)
- "I Can't Turn You LooseI Can't Turn You Loose"I Can't Turn You Loose" is a song written and first recorded by American soul singer Otis Redding. It was released as the B-side to his 1965 single "Just One More Day"...
" (Otis ReddingOtis ReddingOtis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
) (3:55) - "United Together" (Phil PerryPhil PerryPhil Perry is an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician and a former member of the soul group The Montclairs from 1971 to 1975.- Biography :...
, Chuck JacksonChuck JacksonChuck Jackson is an R&B singer who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He has performed with moderate success since 1961...
) (5:02) - "Take Me With You" (Phil Perry, Terry Coleman, Chuck Jackson) (4:05)
- "Whatever It Is" (Mark Gary, Eddie Setser, Jerry Michael) (3:38)
- "What a Fool BelievesWhat a Fool Believes"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The best-known version was recorded by The Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute. The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, remaining in that position for one week...
" (Kenny LogginsKenny LogginsDuring the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
, Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald (singer)Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
) (5:13) - "Together Again" (Franklin, Phil Perry, Chuck Jackson) (5:16)
- "Love Me Forever" (Franklin, Rev. Patrick HendersonRev. Patrick HendersonReverend Patrick Henderson is a gospel keyboard player, songwriter and producer. He has written several songs in collaboration with Michael McDonald, playing on a number of his and the Doobie Brothers albums. Henderson has long associations with many other artists as well, including Leon Russell,...
, Kenny Moore) (3:34) - "School Days" (Franklin) (4:58)
Production
- Produced By Chuck JacksonChuck JacksonChuck Jackson is an R&B singer who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He has performed with moderate success since 1961...
and Arif MardinArif MardinArif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country... - Engineers: Lee DeCarlo, Lewis Hahn, Frank Kejmar, Jeremy Smith
- Assistant Engineers: Michael O'Reilly, Stewart Whitmore
- Mixing: Reginald Dozier
- Re-mixing: Lewis Hahn, Arif Mardin, Michael O'Reilly, Gene Paul
- Re-Mix Assistant: Joe Mardin
- Mastering: Ken Perry, Bill Inglot
Personnel
- Drums: Tony Coleman, James GadsonJames GadsonJames Gadson is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B music....
, Ed GreeneEd Greene (musician)Ed Greene is an American drummer and session musician.An early recording in 1971 has him as a member of the Donald Byrd Group, together with Thurman Green Harold Land Bobby Hutcherson Joe Sample and Wilton Felder , among others....
, Yogi Horton, Steve JordanSteve Jordan (musician)Steve Jordan is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director and Grammy Award-winning artist, who has made a name for himself as a producer from the Bronx in New York City. A graduate of the Fiorello H...
, Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
, Bernard "Petty" PurdieBernard PurdieBernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie is an American session drummer, and is considered an influential and innovative exponent of funk... - Percussion: George Devens, Greg "Gigi" Gonaway, Darryl Jackson, Jason Martin, Raul Rekow, Orestes Vilato
- Bass: Francisco Centeno, Tony Coleman, Scott Edwards, Randy JacksonRandy JacksonRandall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
, Louis Johnson, James JamersonJames JamersonJames Lee Jamerson was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s , and he is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history...
, Mike PorcaroMike PorcaroMike Porcaro is best noted as the bass player in the Grammy Award winning band, Toto.He is the middle brother of Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Porcaro... - Guitars: Vernon "Ice" Black, Cornell DupreeCornell DupreeCornell Luther Dupree was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman, and wrote a book on soul and blues guitar: Rhythm and Blues Guitar ISBN 0-634-00149-3...
, Paul Jackson Jr., Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
, Greg Poree, Doc Powell, Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, Allen Rogen, David T. WalkerDavid T. WalkerDavid T. Walker is an American guitarist born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to numerous session musician duties since the early 1970s, Walker has issued over twelve albums in his own name.-Career:...
, Teddy White, David Williams, Ron WoodRon WoodRonald David "Ronnie" Wood is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and current member of The Rolling Stones. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar.... - Keyboards, Synthesizers, Organ, Piano: Walter AfanasieffWalter AfanasieffWalter Afanasieff is a multiple Grammy-award-winning record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his long association with Mariah Carey, for whom he was producer and co-writer for several years, beginning in 1990...
, Bob Christianson, Todd Cochrane, Tony Coleman, Aretha Franklin, David FosterDavid FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, Preston Glass, Nick Johnson, Michael Lang, Chuck LeavellChuck LeavellChuck Leavell is an American pianist and keyboardist, who was a member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout the height of their popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently-employed session musician, and later, the keyboardist for Eric Clapton and The Rolling...
, David PaichDavid PaichDavid Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
, Jeff Porcaro, David SanciousDavid SanciousDavid Sancious is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard player and...
, Richard TeeRichard TeeRichard Tee was a pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger.Tee graduated from the High School of Music and Art and attended the Manhattan School of Music. Though better known as a studio and session musician, Tee led a jazz ensemble, the Richard Tee Committee, and was a founding member of the... - Saxophone: Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
(Tenor), Louis del Gatto (Baritone), Kenny G., Eddie Mininfeld, David "Fathead" Newman (Tenor), Seldon PowellSeldon PowellSeldon Powell was an American soul jazz, swing and R&B tenor saxophonist and flautist born in Lawrenceville, Virginia, probably best remembered for his early work with musicians like Tab Smith , Lucky Millinder 1949-51), Neal Hefti or Louis Bellson...
(Tenor), Marc Russo, David SanbornDavid SanbornDavid Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school...
, David Tofani (Alto) - Trumpet: Randy BreckerRandy BreckerRandal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, Lew Soloff - Trombone: Barry Rogers, Wayne Wallace
- Horns: Jerry HeyJerry HeyJerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....
- French Horn: John Clark, Peter Gordon,
- Strings: Jonathan Abramowitz, Jack Barber, A. Brown, Peter Dimitriades, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Joseph Malin, Alan Shulman, Mitsue Takayama, Gerald Tarack, M. Wright, Frederick Zlotkin, F. Zoltin
- Strings & Horns Arranged By Arif MardinArif MardinArif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country...
& Benjamin Wright - Backing Vocals: Kitty Beethoven, Ortheia Barnes, Estelle Brown, Tony Coleman, Brenda Corbett, Preston Glass, Larry Graham, Jennifer Hall, Chuck Jackson, Liz Jackson, Randy Jackson, Edie Lehmann, Myrna Matthews, Marti McCall, Claytoven Richardson, Esther Ridgeway, Gloria Ridgeway, Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith, Hamish Sutart, The Sweet Inspirations, Jeanie Tracy,