Down but Never Out

In January 1972, Aretha recorded her first gospel album since becoming a major star. Jerry Wexler supported her idea completely. After the success of her live concert and the album recorded there at the Fillmore West, Atlantic was eager to have another live Aretha concert on record. Wexler arranged for Aretha to perform at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Aretha was excited and nervous. There was still a lot of resistance to gospel singers who crossed over to sing pop, jazz, and R & B. After hearing Aretha sing at Mahalia Jackson's funeral, the gospel singer Sallie Martin said, “Worst thing I ever heard—a nightclub singer at a gospel singer's funeral.” Martin was not alone in her opinion. There were many African Americans who felt Aretha had no right to go back to singing gospel.

Aretha's musical support came from Reverend James Cleveland, his church choir and several musicians from Atlantic Records. The results were electric. The album, Amazing Grace, captured the energy of a live gospel performance. Throughout the recording the audience reacted with applause and singing, and they shouted “Amen!”

Aretha's father, Reverend Franklin, got up to speak to the congregation. “I was just about to bust wide open,” he said. “You talk about being moved. Not only because Aretha is my daughter, Aretha is just a stone singer … if you want to know the truth, she has never left the church.” Amazing Grace, the double album of Aretha's return to her musical roots, became the best-selling gospel album of all time!