1998 compilation featuring 17 of the best songs from the early period of Aretha Franklin’s on Columbia Records in the early 1960s. She would later find fame (and earn her legendary status) on Atlantic in the mid 60s, but her early work on Columbia, which had more of a jazz and gospel sensibility, is certainly of excellent quality, and this CD is an outstanding survey of it.

Franklin fans often dismiss the Queen of Soul's 1960-66 tenure at Columbia Records outright, insisting that Franklin emerged fully formed in early 1967 with her first release for Atlantic Records, "I Never Loved A Man." This superlative 17-song overview of this six-year period shows why this canonical view does Franklin such a grave disservice. While perhaps she never recorded an instant classic on the order of "Respect" at Columbia, she never had as wide a range at Atlantic as she shows here. From jazz to blues to show tunes to pop standards, Franklin's always-astonishing voice delivers with effortless grace and soul. Franklin's Columbia years are an underappreciated treasure. CDUniverse.com

CD, booklet and jewel case are in excellent condition.

Made in the US.

Track list

1 Evil Gal Blues 2 Today I Sing the Blues 3 Skylark 4 Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning 5 Unforgettable 6 Love for Sale 7 Only the Lonely 8 Muddy Water 9 God Bless the Child 10 All Night Long 11 It Ain't Necessarily So 12 What a Diff'rence a Day Made 13 Over the Rainbow 14 Maybe I'm a Fool 15 Drinking Again 16 Trouble in Mind