The Great American Songbook

Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged. Her astonishing run of late-'60s hits earned her the title "Lady Soul," which she has worn uncontested ever since.

With these songs by America’s greatest composers, Aretha Franklin paved the path to her own greatness. From standards to bebop to gospel and blues, these recordings are indelible snapshots of a special time in the career of a musical legend; a portrait, if you will, of the artist as a young woman.

This stand-alone CD features classic American songs by such classic American composers and lyricists as Billy Strayhorn, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, the Gershwin Brothers, Oscar Hammerstein, Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern and Hank Williams.