A Celebration of Aretha

Today we celebrate the birthday of the late, great Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who would’ve turned 77 today. While her absence is no less of a shame now than it was when she left us on August 16 of last year, it still feels a little raw to be celebrating her first birthday without her here to celebrate it with us. That said, we know she’d still want us to revel in the musical legacy that she left behind, so that’s precisely what we’re going to do.

Since she would’ve been 77 today, here are seven Aretha albums from the Rhino catalog that you should consider spinning today:

1.     I NEVER LOVED A MAN THE WAY I LOVE YOU (1967): featuring “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “Respect,” “Baby, Baby, Baby,” and “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”
2.     LADY SOUL (1968): featuring “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” and “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone”
3.     ARETHA NOW (1968): featuring “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “I Can’t See Myself Leaving You”
4.     SOUL ’69 (1969): featuring “The Tracks of My Tears” and “Gentle on My Mind”
5.     SPIRIT IN THE DARK (1970): featuring “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)” and “Spirit in the Dark”
6.     LIVE AT FILLMORE WEST (1971): featuring such phenomenal covers as “Love the One You’re With,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Eleanor Rigby,” and “Make It with You”
7.     YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK (1972): featuring “Border Song,” “A Brand New Me,” “Rock Steady,” “Young, Gifted and Black,” “Day Dreaming,” and “All the King’s Horses”

And if none of those completely float your boat, don’t forget our official Aretha playlist!