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2025 Repress

You may know Aretha Franklin's scintillating "One Step Ahead" from its vital role in the Oscar-winning movie Moonlight. You may also know it as providing the beautifully melancholic backdrop for Mos Def's 1999 hit "Ms Fat Booty".

The inaugural Be With 7" is a special one indeed, containing the first ever officially licensed reissue of Aretha's all-time deep soul classic. "One Step Ahead" was not included on any of her Columbia studio albums, and remains one of her rarest releases.

On the flip, "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face" is a thrilling, goosebump-inducing killer and an unfairly slept-on rendition of this eternal track.

The single comes housed in a custom printed full-colour company sleeve and is limited to just 1000 copies.

When Aretha Franklin passed away on August 16, 2018 we lost the Queen of Soul, acknowledged as the foremost female singer of her generation, someone who sold over 75 million records in her glittering career. The sadness that so many soul fans felt at that time was most acute knowing that we would never hear her beautiful voice on any new recordings. So it is with great pleasure that we present a live set from Aretha never before heard on a commercial CD. And it is with pride that we can say that the recordings, made in a TV studio in Cologne during her first European tour in 1968, are smack in the middle of soul’s Golden Age. The musical quality - the great artist at her peak – is so high that this issue can only enhance her reputation. This is prime Aretha Franklin – and soul music doesn’t get much better than this. Notes by John Ridley.

Mit dieser exklusiven Picture Disc wird das musikalische Erbe von Aretha Franklin auf besonders stilvolle Weise gefeiert. Die Auswahl vereint einige der ikonischsten Songs ihrer Karriere - kraftvoll, emotional und zeitlos. Ob Soul, Gospel oder R&B - Aretha Franklins Stimme hat Generationen geprägt und ist bis heute unerreicht. Diese Edition bringt ihre größten Klassiker in einem hochwertigen Sammlerformat auf den Plattenteller - visuell eindrucksvoll und klanglich ein Genuss. Die kunstvoll gestaltete Picture Vinyl ist nicht nur ein musikalisches Erlebnis, sondern auch ein optisches Statement.

Lockdown records presents Matt Early & Lee Jeffries expand your mind remix of Respect by Aretha Franklin.

Re-mastering by: Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

This 'live' nightclub date with a jazz trio, revealed to be a faked on the Columbia compilations that have since come out, is nonetheless a great LP, maybe the best single Columbia LP from Aretha. John Hammond discovered her and just wanted great music, but the label couldn't decide if she was a show tune singer, jazz or r&b and never figured out she was all of the above and deserved her own category. This is the most jazzy Aretha ever and if she'd wanted to concentrate on this one area of her talent, she would still be ruling it. Worth the buy just for the track 'Without The One You Love'. J. Ellis













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"‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’ runs the stylistic gambit without feeling Franklin is doing things just for show. The album isn’t trying to function as a resumé of her skills. Genre shifts feel organic and natural. “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” is built on a bossa nova groove, while “Do Right Woman Do Right Man” has a little country ballad flavor. “Dr Feelgood (Love Is A Serious Business)”—one of four songs penned by Franklin herself—is a bluesy belter. She might have been Queen of the genre, but pigeonholing Franklin in soul is like calling Sugar Ray Leonard just a welterweight. She could shuffle through styles as smooth as velvet. Everything is stamped with her own distinct character."

The track list includes a mix of soul, R&B, and gospel influences, highlighting her versatility as an artist.

Atlantic records impresario Jerry Wexler had many strings to his bow, but undoubtedly his greatest stroke of genius was leading Aretha towards the Fame Studios in 1967 to conduct her first sessions for the label. A lady with many quite uneven Columbia albums to her name would turn the world of soul music upside down and reveal the Queen of Soul to the world. The music created was both harrowing and spine-chilling in equal measure, leaving everyone in its radius in a state of soulful euphoria.

“Can” was recorded during the ‘Hey Now Hey’ LA album sessions circa 1972, with Quincy Jones at the helm, and is a scintillating slow burner of exquisite beauty.
“I’m Trying” is a glorious 1969/70 outtake from her ‘Spirit in the Dark’ LP, cut at Criteria with Wexler and the MSS boys in tow.
A friend of mine recently alluded that you sometimes don’t realise the true greatness of a track until it is embossed in 7” vinyl. So true!

FIVE CLASSIC ARETHA ALBUMS PRESENTING AN EARLY-’70S PORTRAIT OF THE QUEEN!

Also Includes A SIXTH BONUS LP of Session Alternates, Outtakes & Demos!

Original Albums Remastered From the Analog Master Tapes by Grammy® Award-Winning Engineer, Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering Produced by Grammy® Award-Winner Cheryl Pawelski with Liner Notes from Billboard’s Gail Mitchell & British Ambassador of Soul, David Nathan Includes the hit Young, Gifted, & Black, released in 1972, which hit #2 on Billboard’s R&B albums survey and #11 on the Billboard Top 200 as well as being certified GOLD.

Aretha won the 1972 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance the album ranked at number 388 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Also includes This Girl’s In Love With You which features the first commercial release of “Let It Be,” and came out 2 months ahead of The Beatles. Both this album and Spirit In The Dark feature the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section and an appearance by Duane Allman. Along with production on both from Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd & Arif Mardin.

The best of the first period of the Queen of Soul… Madame Aretha Franklin! From Over the Rainbow to Try a Little Tenderness… Discover all the quintessence of her highness ARETHA FRANKLIN. These 16 tracks show us how great the Diva’s influence on contemporary music was, paving the way for other great female performers.

Before Aretha Franklin rose to fame, she was signed to Columbia Records. This 3LP compilation album is a collection of some of Aretha's most notable songs during her time at Columbia from 1960 to 1965. The Queen in Waiting highlights Franklin's jazz and big-band recordings, and includes the songs "Won't Be Long", "Walk On By", "Today I Sing The Blues" and "Try A Little Tenderness" a.o.

The Queen in Waiting: The Columbia Years 1960-1965 is available as a 3LP limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on gold & black marbled vinyl and comes with three printed inner sleeves.

Aretha Franklin’s twelfth studio album, released in early 1968. It was her third R&B chart-topper and reached number two on the Billboard 200, tying with I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You for her highest-charting album on the pop chart. The album also included some of her biggest hit singles: "Chain of Fools", and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman".

Runnin' Out of Fools is the sixth studio album by the American “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, originally released in 1964 and arranged and conducted by Belford C. Hendricks. The album features cover versions of Dionne Warwick “Walk On By”, Betty Everett “The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)” and Mary Wells “My Guy” amongst others.
Runnin' Out of Fools is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on red coloured vinyl. It is housed in a deluxe, sturdy sleeve finished with a gloss laminate finish.

Dinah Washington has been cited as “the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s”. The jazz vocalist passed away in December 1963 at the age of 39. Just a few months after, in February 1964, Aretha Franklin released her fifth studio album Unforgettable - A Tribute to Dinah Washington. Aretha never personally met Dinah, but she was a good friend of Aretha’s father. Washington always had a major influence of the blossoming style of Aretha. Several covers are, to this day, considered as some of her greatest hits due to Franklin’s timeless voice.

The album was recorded at New York’s Columbia Studios. The recordings were made with the assistance of a small and sympathetic accompanying group for which producer Bob Mersey supplied minimal written guidance.

To say that Aretha Franklin was one of the greatest American artists of all time is an understatement. Her multi-octave voice moved millions around the world during an unrivalled career that spanned six decades and garnered the singer-songwriter every achievement and honour imaginable. Franklin has sold more than 75 million records worldwide making her one of the biggest selling music artists of all time.
Amazing Grace, a live album originally released in 1972 is Franklin’s best-selling album of all time. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the album, Rhino will be releasing a limited edition 2LP white vinyl. Featuring the title track ‘Amazing Grace’ as well as ‘Climbing Higher Mountains’.

To say that Aretha Franklin was one of the greatest American artists of all time is an understatement. Her multi-octave voice moved millions around the world during an unrivalled career that spanned six decades and garnered the singer-songwriter every achievement and honour imaginable. Franklin has sold more than 75 million records worldwide making her one of the biggest selling music artists of all time.
Amazing Grace, a live album originally released in 1972 is Franklin’s best-selling album of all time. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the album, Rhino will be releasing a limited edition 2LP white vinyl. Featuring the title track ‘Amazing Grace’ as well as ‘Climbing Higher Mountains’.

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin released her seventh studio album Yeah!!! in 1965. Despite the overdubbed sounds of audience murmurs, the album is not a live album. Instead, the album was recorded live at New York's Columbia Studios and produced by Clyde Otis. Yeah!!! features “Misty”, “If I Had a Hammer” and “There Is No Greater Love” amongst other

Dinah Washington has been cited as “the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s”. The jazz vocalist passed away in December 1963 at the age of 39. Just a few months after, in February 1964, Aretha Franklin released her fifth studio album Unforgettable - A Tribute to Dinah Washington. Aretha never personally met Dinah, but she was a good friend of Aretha’s father. Washington always had a major influence of the blossoming style of Aretha. Several covers are, to this day, considered as some of her greatest hits due to Franklin’s timeless voice.

The album was recorded at New York’s Columbia Studios. The recordings were made with the assistance of a small and sympathetic accompanying group for which producer Bob Mersey supplied minimal written guidance.

Written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, Sparkle is the soundtrack album for the 1976 Warner Bros. motion picture starring Irene Cara.

The songs on the soundtrack feature the instrumental tracks and backing vocals from the film versions, with Aretha Franklin's voice taking the place of the original lead vocalists.

A live experience on its own! A never before released live recording from the Lady Soul ! On July 21 1970 Aretha Franklin made her appearance at the great Antibes Jazz Festival in the south of France. At the head of a twelve piece backing band, "Lady Soul" gave a great performance based on a fine set-list full of hits such as "You Send Me", "Dr. Feelgood", Spirit in the Dark and a couple of tributes to "British Pop", via two heartfelt renditions of the Stones's "Satisfaction" and the Beatles's "Eleanor Rigby".

Aretha Franklin (Piano, Vocals)
Donald Towns, John Wilson, Charles Horse & Clay Robinson (Trumpet)
Chancey Outcalt & René Pitts (Trombone)
Louis Barnett, Miller Brisker, Donald Walden & Charlie Gabriel (Saxophone)
Truman Thomas (Organ)
Ted Sheely (Piano)
Leslie Harvey (Guitar)
Melvin Jackson (Bass)
Hindel Butts (Drums)
Evelyn Green, Almeta Latimer & Wyline Ivy (Backing Vocals)

The 1986 self-titled Aretha Franklin album was a successful one, notable for containing five R&B hits, including the number 1 hit “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” and “If You Need My Love Tonight”. Aretha herself says in the liner notes that this is one of her favorite albums, and it’s easy to see why. She sings her head off on this album, and sounds like she’s having so much fun on each and every song. The album is noteworthy for the cover, which was Andy Warhol’s final work before his death in early 1987.

Released on the We Are Vinyl label via CMG - chronicles Aretha's RCA and Arista recordings. An excellent retrospective of the 'Queen's' last act showcasing Aretha's 80's work in all its glory. The crisp, synth heavy soul pop sound of her later career remains essential to this day. Originally released in 2012 this latest edition adds Aretha’s powerful cover of Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep' to the original tracklist, which also includes "Who's Zoomin Who?", "Sisters Are Doin' It", "A Deeper Love", "I Knew You Were Waiting...", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Freeway Of Love", "Jimmy Lee" and more. An 18 track album pressed on standard black vinyl with download code. Marketing.

Compliation of some of Aretha’s classic early hits.

Young, Gifted and Black is considered as one of Franklin’s best projects, and a leader in Pro Black Movement albums in the 70’s. Beginning her most Soulful period, the album includes the title track, “Rock Steady” and “Day Dreaming”, pressed here onto burn orange vinyl.

A fantastic collection focusing on Aretha Franklin hits from the period 1960-62. That's when she started to gain fame as a unique and powerful singer who later became world-known as the Queen of Soul. A great selection of songs full of all the essential ingredients that will inform the development of Soul, Gospel and R&B. The perfect introduction to the spirit and art of the unforgettable Lady Soul.

In January 1967, a 24-year old Aretha Franklin signed to Atlantic Records and began one of the most legendary runs in music history, releasing five U.S. hit singles in that year alone. Rhino celebrates the 50th anniversary of Franklin's historic signing with an opportunity to hear her classic Atlantic masters like never before.

A BRAND NEW ME: ARETHA FRANKLIN WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA pairs classic vocals from some of the most iconic songs that the Queen of Soul recorded for Atlantic Records with new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded the music at Abbey Road Studios in London, with brand new backing vocals led by Grammy®-winning singer Patti Austin.

The result is another timeless record that retains the soul, groove, and gospel power of Franklin's revered talent. Among the standout tracks are newly re-imagined versions of classics like the Billboard #1 R&B hits Respect,' Think,' Don't Play That Song (You Lied),' and Angel.'

The album was produced by Nick Patrick and Don Reedman, the masterminds behind the massive worldwide success of If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which recently topped the charts in multiple countries and has sold more than 1.5 million copies.

The 1986 self-titled Aretha Franklin album was a successful one, notable for containing five R&B hits, including the number 1 hit “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” and “If You Need My Love Tonight”. Aretha herself says in the liner notes that this is one of her favorite albums, and it’s easy to see why. She sings her head off on this album, and sounds like she’s having so much fun on each and every song. The album is noteworthy for the cover, which was Andy Warhol’s final work before his death in early 1987.

Aretha is available as a limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on translucent green vinyl. The package includes an insert.