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Aretha Franklin’s earliest ever recordings are being reissued on vinyl

Aretha Franklin’s earliest recordings have been remastered for a new vinyl reissue in March, paying homage to her roots as a gospel artist.

Courtesy of Geffen/UMe, the 1956 recordings Songs Of Faith: Aretha Gospel will be released in a limited edition white vinyl LP, as well as traditional black vinyl and digitally. The vinyl editions include a new essay by her biographer David Ritz, as well as detailed liner notes about each of the nine tracks.

The earliest ever recordings of Aretha Franklin, recorded in 1956, are being reissued this March digitally and on limited edition white vinyl.

Songs of Faith was recorded at the New Bethel Baptist Church when Franklin was 14 years old, and includes the first known recording of her singing Never Grow Old; a song that went on to feature in her 1972 album Amazing Grace. Franklin can be heard accompanying herself on piano, and performing before sermons from her father, the Rev. C. L. Franklin.

It follows news that Sydney Pollack’s documentary based on Aretha Franklin’s gospel background, Amazing Grace, will finally be made available to the public almost 50 years after it was filmed. The film was screened privately for Franklin’s family and estate following her death in August last year.

The reissue of Songs of Faith will fall on the same week as Franklin’s 77th birthday. Pre-order your copy here.