There will never be a voice like Aretha Franklin…
Almost 50 years ago in Watts, Calif., the most successful gospel album to date was recorded, Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace. At the height of her career with 11 number one songs and 5 Grammy Awards Aretha Franklin went back to where it all began; The Church. “Amazing Grace” is a love letter to the black church, filmed over two days and condensed to 90 minutes of the Holy Spirit running through your bones.
Backed by the Southern California Community Choir and the direction of choir director Alexander Hamilton and Rev James Cleveland, souls were blessed through song with the praises of God. Aretha Franklin had one of those voices where she could hum the alphabet and make your eyes water. Like most singers she was raised in the church by her father Reverend CL Franklin. The film took me to my childhood going to church with my grandmother at an old wooden church, music thumping, pews moving, and everyone working up a sweat. Amazing Grace was no different.
Visually it was not a stunning project that we are accustomed to in today’s world of film, but it made up for it in emotion. The film originally directed by Sydney Pollack, who was a young director at the time somehow screwed up 20 hours of footage that was rendered useless due to the timing being out of sync. Fast forward to modern times, Alan Elliot was able to revive the project to what many thought would never see the light of day.
To put the film in historical context, Los Angeles was still recovering from the Watts riots 6 years earlier. Tensions were still unsettled and conditions of the black community still took a front seat in an angered community. High unemployment rates, poor housing conditions, lack of quality education, and subpar medical care. The riots left a neighborhood in shambles and over 30 people were killed. Recording a gospel album in Watts was significant. In times of peril, people lean on religion, and having one of the most prolific voices of the time come to sing life and joy back into a space that was blight was a spiritual high for many.
What I enjoyed most about this film was the support of family, friends and other musicians. There were a few scenes where you caught a look at Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones. We witnessed gospel legend Clara Ward and Gertrude Ward of the Ward Singers in the congregation.
The beauty of the film came from watching Franklin and her subtle gazes at her father, or when she was caught processing a moment of note. The authenticity of her performance and the quiet strength in other moments made you understand why she will forever be The Queen of Soul.