''Spirit in the Dark'' is the seventeenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on August 24, 1970, by Atlantic Records. It received critical acclaim, but was met with middling sales, despite having two hit singles, " Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", which peaked at #1 R&B, #11 on the Hot 100, and " Spirit in the Dark", peaking at #3 R&B and #23 Hot 100, in '' Billboard'' magazine. It was Aretha's first Atlantic album to fall short of ''Billboards Top 20, but it is now considered to be one of Aretha's classic Atlantic LPs. In 1993,

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

re-issued the album on compact disc. "Try Matty's" is used as the jingle for radio host Matt Siegel's Boston Kiss 108 show.

Track listing

Unless otherwise indicated, Information is based on the album's Liner NotesFranklin, Aretha. "Spirit in the Dark" (Original Album Notes). Atlantic. 1970.

Personnel

Information is based on the album's Liner Notes ;Main *Aretha Franklin – vocals (5, lead on 1–4, 6–12), piano (1-6, 8–12) *

Duane Allman Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American rock guitarist, session musician, and the founder and original leader of the Allman Brothers Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame i ...

– guitar (7) *Margaret Branch – background vocals (1-2, 7–8, 11) *Brenda Bryant – background vocals (1-2, 7–8, 11) *Harold "Hog" Cowart – bass guitar (8-9, 12) * Dave Crawford – organ (8-9, 12) *

Cornell Dupree Cornell Luther Dupree (December 19, 1942 – May 8, 2011) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman,

– guitar (8, 11–12) *

Buzz Feiten Howard "Buzz" Feiten (born November 4, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, session musician, and luthier. He is best known as a lead and rhythm guitarist and for having patented a tuning system for guitars and similar instrument ...

– guitar (1) *Evelyn Green – background vocals (3, 9–10, 12) *Wylene Ivy – background vocals (3, 9–10, 12) *Almeda Lattimore – background vocals (1-3, 9–12) *

Pat Lewis Pat Lewis is an American soul singer and backing vocalist since the 1960s. Biography Patsy Lewis was born October 23, 1947 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States, and moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1951. In the early 1960s, Pat, her sister Dia ...

– background vocals (3, 9–10, 12) *Ray Lucas – drums (8, 12) *Jimmy O'Rourke – guitar (9) *

The Sweet Inspirations The Sweet Inspirations were an American R&B girl group mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R&B and rock artists. A founding member of the group was Dionne Warwick, who was later replaced by her aunt, Ciss ...

– background vocals (4, 6) *Ron "Tubby" Ziegler – drums (9) ;The Dixie Flyers *

Sammy Creason Sammy Lee Creason (27 November 1944 – 21 December 1995) was an American session drummer who played with Tony Joe White, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan amongst others. Life and career Growing up in Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States, he ...

– drums (1-2, 4, 6, 10) *

Jim Dickinson James Luther Dickinson (November 15, 1941 – August 15, 2009) was an American record producer, pianist, and singer who fronted, among others, the band Mud Boy and the Neutrons, based in Memphis, Tennessee. Biography Dickinson was born in Li ...

– additional keyboards (1-2, 4, 6, 10) *Charlie Freeman – guitar (1-2, 4, 6, 10) *Tommy McClure – bass guitar (1-2, 4, 6, 10) *

Michael Utley Michael Edward Utley is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. He is the musical director of the band. Born in Blytheville in Mississippi County, Arkansas, he graduated from the Univer ...

– additional keyboards (1-2, 4, 6, 10) ;

Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is a group of American session musicians based in the northern Alabama town of Muscle Shoals. One of the most prominent American studio house bands from the 1960s to the 1980s, these musicians, individually or a ...

Barry Beckett Barry Edward Beckett (February 4, 1943 – June 10, 2009) was an American keyboardist, session musician, record producer, and studio founder. He is best known for his work with David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, and Roger Hawkins, his bandmates in ...

– keyboards (7, additional on 3, 5, 11) * Roger Hawkins – drums (3, 5, 7, 11) *

Eddie Hinton Eddie Hinton (15 June 1944 – 28 July 1995) was an American songwriter and session musician, best known for his work with soul music and R&B singers. He played lead guitar for Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section from 1969 to 1971 and after leaving th ...

– guitar (3, 5, 7, 11) * David Hood – bass guitar (3, 5, 7, 11) * Jimmy Johnson – guitar (3, 5, 7, 11)

Charts

References

1970 albums Aretha Franklin albums Albums produced by Tom Dowd Albums produced by Arif Mardin Albums produced by Jerry Wexler Atlantic Records albums Rhino Records albums {{1970s-R&B-album-stub