October 1965, London
My quest to find as many of the Columbia albums that Aretha Franklin released between 1960-1965 begins with the rare UK release of the LP, “Yeah!!!” None of Aretha’s six previous albums and only two 45s have been released in Britain until CBS issues the magnificent “Yeah!!!” I LOVED it, every single song! I literally learn all of them and revel in Aretha’s soulful jazz. My favourites? “Love For Sale,” “Misty,” “Muddy Water”…the latter which I include in my own occasional live performances, one memorably in NYC in 1979 when none other than Phyllis Hyman who calls me the next morning to tell me she really likes how I do ‘Kansas City’ (another blues song), referencing “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water”! I treasure Aretha’s” Yeah!!!” LP (including the cover pic which ironically becomes the photo for her Celebration Of Life service in August 2018). My deep appreciation for the 1965 not-yet-mainstream Aretha leads to my mission to get all the previous Columbia LPs and my pocket money from working at a local record shop in Kilburn on Saturday mornings goes on those then-rare imported LPs…
