Fifty-four years ago today, the Queen of Soul walked off the pop charts and returned to the pews.
On June 1, 1972, Atlantic Records released a double live album Aretha Franklin « Amazing Grace» , which subsequently outsold all of her other recordings. The album was recorded over two nights in January of that year at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, featuring the legendary gospel singer. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. For Franklin, who grew up singing at her father's church in Detroit, this was more of a homecoming than a departure. She put everything into it, and the crowd felt it.
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Never ranked number one, but became a bestselling author in her career.
That's what's surprising. Despite all its power, Amazing Grace album never topped the charts. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number two on the R&B Albums chart, never reaching number one. However, it sold over two million copies in the US, achieving double platinum status and remaining Franklin's best-selling album ever, as well as the best-selling live gospel album of all time.
Related: The classic 1967 hit, which reached number one on the charts and was voted the "greatest song" of all time, turns 59 today.
A legacy that continues to grow
The album earned Franklin a 1973 Grammy Award for Best Soul/Gospel Performance. The concert film, filmed concurrently with the album, remained unseen for decades due to technical and legal issues before finally being released in late 2018 and hitting theaters in 2019, introducing the performance to a whole new audience.
More than half a century later «Amazing Grace» It still stands alongside her most famous recordings as one of the most stunning vocal performances ever recorded. It wasn't a number one hit, but it somehow exceeded all expectations.
Next: The legendary '70s guitarist is included in the list of "The Greatest Living American Songwriters.".
This article was originally published by Parade on June 1, 2026, in the News section. Add Parade to your list of recommended sources by clicking here.