Artist	Song
Sam Cooke	A Change Is Gonna Come
from 30 Greatest Hits - Sam Cooke Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 (2005)
Clara Ward	When We All Get to Heaven
from Peacock Gospel Classics: Ladies of Gospel (1998)
James Cleveland	Lord Do It for Me
from This Is Gospel, Vol. 2: Rev. James Cleveland - Get Right Church (2006)
Mahalia Jackson	Amazing Grace
from In My Home Over There (1998)
Staple Singers	Uncloudy Day
from Uncloudy Day & Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (2007)
Ray Charles	Night Time Is the Right Time
from The Best of Ray Charles: The Atlantic Years (2007)
Bessie Smith	Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
from The Essential Bessie Smith (1997)
Billie Holiday	God Bless the Child
from Lady Day - The Best of Billie Holiday (2001)
Dinah Washington	What a Difference a Day Made
from What a Diff'rence a Day Makes! (2000)
Sarah Vaughan	They Can't Take That Away from Me
from Ken Burns Jazz: Sarah Vaughan (2000)
Albertina Walker	Till You Come
from Peacock Gospel Classics: Ladies of Gospel (1998)
Ruth Brown	Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean
from The Essentials: Ruth Brown (2005)
Big Maybelle	Candy
from Blues, Candy & Big Maybelle (1995)
Wynona Carr	Please Mr. Jailer
from Jump Jack Jump! (2006)
Reverend C.L. Franklin	Your Mother Loves Her Children
from You Grow Closer (2003)

Comment:

Aretha’s dad was the perfect teacher — a singing preacher who schooled his daughter in the blessed trinity of black music: gospel, blues, jazz. Aretha mastered all three. And it starts with the soaring spectacle of a hallelujah sunrise service: If you ever wondered why gospel superstar Clara Ward was such an influence on the young Aretha, simply listen to her “When We All Get to Heaven” and [i]watch[/i] her throw off her hat, rip off her wig, and raise the roof. Sam Cooke and Ray Charles were the first artists to flip the script, scorching the pop charts with their gospel fire. Sam’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” is a clouds-parting moment as he leads us — and an awestruck Aretha — into his brave new world of secular soul. And Ray’s “(Night Time Is) The Right Time” takes that world and tears it wide open, bringing all the passion of Sunday morning to the best part of Saturday night. But there’s more — much more — to hear from the artists who shepherded Aretha from the choir loft to center stage.

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