"The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin" is the third studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on August 13, 1962 by Columbia Records. The album comprises jazz and pop standards, displaying Franklin's versatile vocals that effortlessly switch between genres. Consisting of twelve tracks, the album includes stand-out songs like 'Try A Little Tenderness' and 'God Bless The Child'. Despite the album not being a commercial success at the time of release, it has since been retrospectively regarded as a demonstration of Franklin's early potential and vocal prowess.
Background: Released when Franklin was just 20 years old, "The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin" was her first full length album to feature her name and was produced by Robert Mersey and John H. Hammond. These songs stand as a testament to Franklin's early career, with her signature soulful voice shining through, before she became universally acknowledged as the "Queen of Soul". The album represents a pivotal moment in Aretha Franklin's career as it hinted at the superstar potential she later fully embodied.