Before She Became Famous

I remember the first time I stumbled on this cd of Aretha's early recordings. And it has haunted me ever since.
THIS cd IS Aretha...because it's before ANY of the many hits she's more famous for. The sheer talent and emotional power Ms. Franklin infuses into these recordings is amazing, to say the least.
It is wonderful to see a young woman her age (at the time) with so much energy.

Prelude to the Queen of Soul

Aretha Franklin's Columbia years tend to be dismissed by critics as so much fluff, and totally ignored by everyone else. That is mainly because Franklin did not have the kind of hits she would later have with Atlantic and, frankly, because her material and delivery wasn't as good. Still, no one can sing like 'Ree, even when she does torch songs and standards as in this collection. In any case, "The Early Years" should be part of any Aretha-fan's CD collection, if only as a reminder that Franklin did not come out of nowhere when she did "I Never Loved a Man" in 1967.

Refreshing, Dynamic, Powerful

For anyone who grew up on Aretha, this offering is something you may have missed which makes it wonderfully refreshing. It is "unadulterated" Aretha: raw, gritty, full of power, and at times, grace. It is incredible collage of standards done Aretha's way, according to how she was feeling at the time. The ease with which Aretha sails up and down the musical scale througout this CD is electrifying. The way Aretha twists a lyric around a note here, is, even during these 'Early Years,' classic. At certain points it may make you cry out! This CD is "all that." I honestly consider it my best musical buy in a long, long time. I listened to the entire CD 5-times in the first sitting out of sheer captivation. Currently, I find myself revisiting it often -ever unable to listen to just one or two tracks. Anyone who loves "Re-Re" will instantly love this CD. Even as a supposed "novice" here, she commands a lyric and a note with m! ore skill and tenacity than any contemporary artist I've heard. This CD confirms her title as the reigning "Queen" -not just of Soul, but of the musical universe!