New Box Set Collects Aretha Franklin’s Early ’70s Work

'A Portrait Of The Queen – 1970-1974' takes in five albums, as well as bonus material and rarities

A new box set collecting the early 1970s work of Aretha Franklin is set to be released in December.

A Portrait Of The Queen – 1970-1974 will be released in 6xLP and 5xCD editions, and will include five of the late artist’s albums: This Girl’s In Love With You (1970), Spirit In The Dark (1970), Young, Gifted And Black (1972), Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky) (1973) and Let Me In Your Life (1974). It will also feature a further 11 bonus songs and rarities.

Released by Atlantic after Franklin signed with the label in 1967, the first three albums on A Portrait Of The Queen (This Girl’s In Love With You, Spirit In The Dark (1970) and Young, Gifted And Black) were significant successes for the US artist. The following albums didn’t chart so well, however, and Franklin ultimately left Atlantic in 1979.

The artist, widely regarded as the Queen of Soul and one of the all-time singing greats, died in 2018 at the age of 76.

BMG will release A Portrait Of The Queen – 1970-1974 on December 1, 2023.

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