Soul '69

Infobox Album
Name = Soul '69
Type = studio
Artist = Aretha Franklin


Released = January 17, 1969
Recorded = April 17-18 & September 24, 1968
Genre = Rhythm and blues
Length = 40:49
Label = Atlantic Records
Producer = Tom Dowd, Jerry Wexler
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://wc08.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kzfixqu5ldhe~T1 link]
*Blender Rating|3|5 [http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?ID=4586 link]
*"Rolling Stone" (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/arethafranklin/albums/album/143130/review/5941683/soul_69 link]
Last album = "Aretha in Paris"
(1968)
This album = "Soul '69"
(1969)
Next album = "This Girl's In Love With You"
(1970)

"Soul '69" is a 1969 album of cover material released by soul legend Aretha Franklin. The album charted at #1 on Billboard "Black Albums" and at #15 on "Pop Albums" and launched two charting singles, "Tracks of My Tears" which reached #21 on "Black Singles" and #71 on "Pop Singles" and "Gentle on My Mind" which charted at #50 and #76 respectively. Originally released by Atlantic Records, the album was re-released on CD in 2002 by Atlantic and Rhino Records. It was subsequently incorporated into the compilation "Trilogy" by Warner Strategic Marketing in 2005, along with the albums "Lady Soul" and "Live at the Fillmore West". [allmusicguide |id=10:jnfrxqudldhe~T0 |label=Lady Soul/Soul '69/Live at the Fillmore West]

Critical reception

The album was critically well-received. Music journalist Stanley Booth wrote in "Rolling Stone" that "Soul '69" was "quite possibly the best record to appear in the last five years", describing it as "excellent in ways in which pop music hasn't been since the Beatles spear-headed the renaissance of rock".Booth, Stanley. (Mar 1, 1969) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/arethafranklin/albums/album/143130/review/5941683/soul_69 Soul '69] "Rolling Stone". Accessed November 13 2007.] In spite of critical praise and popular success, however, the album has sunk into obscurity, becoming one of what journalist Richie Unterberger terms as "her most overlooked '60s albums". [allmusicguide |id=10:kzfixqu5ldhe~T1 |label=Soul '69]

Track listing

#"Ramblin' (Maybelle Smith) – 3:10
#"Today I Sing the Blues" (Curley Hamner, Curtis Lewis) – 4:25
#"River's Invitation" (Percy Mayfield) – 2:40
#"Pitiful" (Rosie Marie McCoy, Charlie Singleton) – 3:04
#"Crazy He Calls Me" (Bob Russell, Carl Sigman) – 3:28
#"Bring It on Home to Me" (Sam Cooke) – 3:45
#"The Tracks of My Tears" (Warren "Pete" Moore, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarplin) – 2:56
#"If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" (Rudy Clarke) – 3:08
#"Gentle on My Mind" (John Hartford) – 2:28
#"So Long" (Remus Harris, Irving Melsher, Russ Morgan) – 4:36
#"I'll Never Be Free" (Bennie Benjamin, George David Weiss) – 4:15
#"Elusive Butterfly" (Bob Lind) – 2:45

Personnel

Performance

*Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
*Kenny Burrell – guitar
*Bruno Carr – drums
*Ron Carter – bass
*Jimmy Cleveland – trombone
*Tommy Cogbill – bass guitar
*George Dorsey – alto saxophone
*Aretha Franklin – piano, vocals
*Bernie Glow – trumpet
*Louie Goicdecha – percussion
*Manuel Gonzales – percussion
*Urbie Green – trombone
*Evelyn Greene – background vocals
*Roger Hawkins – drums
*Wyline Ivy – background vocals
*Jerry Jemmott – bass
*Jack Jennings – percussion, vibraphone
*Jimmy Johnson – guitar
*King Curtis – tenor saxophone
*Junior Mance – piano, keyboards
*Thomas Mitchell – trombone
*David "Fathead" Newman – flute, tenor saxophone
*Joe Newman – trumpet
*Spooner Oldham – organ
*Benny Powell – trombone
*Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
*Ernie Royal – trumpet
*Grady Tate – drums
*Frank Wess – alto saxophone
*Richard Gene Williams – trumpet
*Snooky Young – trumpet
*Joe Zawinul – organ, electric piano

Production

*Tom Dowd – producer, engineer
*Loring Eutemey – graphic design
*Geoff Gans – art direction
*Dan Hersch – remastering
*Bill Inglot – remastering
*Jean-Pierre Leloir – photography
*Arif Mardin – arranger, conductor
*Michael Mazzarella – research
*Patrick Milligan – research
*David Nathan – liner notes
*Gary Peterson – research
*Jerry Wexler – producer

References