In A Lifetime -
Aretha Franklin
Leo’s Radio series celebrating the music, life and times of the Queen Of Soul. We’ll hear how songs selected and how Aretha decided on which musicians to work with. Early on in Aretha’s career, everyone seemed to have an opinion on what she should record, but it wasn’t until Arif Mardin entered her life, that her recordings began to be heard by a much wide audience
In A Lifetime -
Aretha Franklin
Episode 1
The first episode of the series “In a Lifetime,” celebrating Aretha Franklin’s life and music, details her profound influence on the soul genre. Growing up in a church environment, her early exposure to gospel music shaped her unique vocal style and timing. Distinguished by her decision to write and arrange her own music, Aretha set herself apart from her contemporaries. The episode discusses her early albums, noting that her debut in 1961 was initially underwhelming. However, her collaboration with producer John Hammond and arranger Richard West on her second album brought better arrangements and a more cohesive sound, blending gospel with showtunes. Particularly highlighted are three ballads from her third album that showcase her signature style, including a standout rendition of “Try a Little Tenderness” at age 20. The episode wraps up by acknowledging Aretha’s defining role in her genre and teases the next installment of the series on LG Radio online.
Episode 2
In the second episode of In a Lifetime “Aretha Franklin” the journey through Aretha Franklin’s early musical career is highlighted, focusing on her initial struggles at Columbia Records where she mainly covered jazz standards without much commercial success. Despite experimenting with popular hits of the day, including a direct cover of Mary Wells’s “My Guy,” Franklin’s unique vocal talent didn’t fully shine until her transition to Atlantic Records. Under the guidance of Armit Ertegan, who introduced her to a dynamic rhythm section and musical talents like King Curtis, Franklin’s music took a transformative turn. This period marked a pivotal shift with recordings that showcased her soulful depth and gospel roots, setting the stage for her legendary status in music history.
Episode 3
In episode three of “Aretha Franklin in a Lifetime,” the focus shifts to Aretha Franklin’s groundbreaking transition to Atlantic Records in 1967, a pivotal year during which she released four influential albums. The episode highlights her collaboration with Jerry Wexler’s house band, underscoring the seamless integration of her powerful vocals with the band’s dynamic sound, which was crucial to her success. The narrative celebrates Aretha’s original compositions and her ability to blend soul, gospel, and blues into an iconic sound that would define her career and influence music for generations.
Episode 4
In episode four of “Aretha Franklin in a Lifetime” on LG Radio Online, the spotlight is on Aretha’s momentous year of 1968, during which she released three remarkable albums and made her debut performance in the UK. Highlighting her emotional resilience, the episode discusses the personal struggles Aretha faced, including a tumultuous home life and the loss of close friend Otis Redding, while showcasing her profound musical contributions, including collaborations with influential musicians like Eric Clapton and the powerful rendition of “Natural Woman.”
Episode 5
In episode five of “Aretha Franklin in a Lifetime” on LG Radio Online, host Leo Green delves into Aretha Franklin’s prolific year of 1968, focusing on her album “Aretha Now,” which showcased a mix of her self-penned hits like “Think” and covers like Sam Cooke’s classic, redefined with her unique style. The episode highlights Aretha’s resilience during personal hardships, including her tumultuous marriage and the loss of her close friend Otis Redding, while celebrating her collaboration with iconic musicians like Roger Hawkins and the profound impact of her soulful, genre-blending music.
Episode 6
In episode six of “Aretha Franklin in a Lifetime,” the focus is on Aretha Franklin’s 1969 album “Soul 69,” a unique project for Aretha as it comprised entirely of cover versions of songs that were hits for other artists, despite its superb musical quality, it was not a commercial success. The episode explores Aretha’s background and influences, detailing intimate performances with major artists at her father’s house during her childhood, and her collaborations with top musicians like Junior Mance, which helped to shape the distinct sound of this album.
Episode 7
Opens with a stunning recording of a really heard ballad, that Aretha recorded for her 1967 album “I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You” – this was the year she would release an incredible four albums, all of which we’ll hear from in this episode. This episode features her covering the Rolling Stones; a joyously funky version of “You Are My Sunshine” and Leo also shares her recordings of “96 Tears”, “That’s Life”and “Baby, I Love You”. All the way through these recordings, Leo examines the musicians from the Muscle Shoals studio, who contributed so much to the wonderful mix of Soul, Gospel, Blues, Jazz and Country that combined to give Aretha her own distinctive and incredible sound.
