大象传媒 Scotland - 大象传媒 Scotland - The Average White Man who shared a mic with Aretha Franklin in her 1970s prime: 鈥淚 barely sang a note, I was just so enthralled!鈥�

The Average White Man who shared a mic with Aretha Franklin in her 1970s prime: 鈥淚 barely sang a note, I was just so enthralled!鈥�

24 August 2018

Glaswegian Hamish Stuart and his Average White Band are responsible for one of the world’s best-known funk songs: the 70s US Billboard #1 smash Pick Up the Pieces 馃帶, which has soundtracked discotheques all across the globe ever since its release.

When the band were first signed – by music mogul Jerry Wexler – to the same label as Aretha Franklin, young Hamish was afforded a few privileged opportunities to witness the iconic Ms Franklin in the studio, doing what she did best.

He sat in on one recording session where the talents of the Atlantic Records rhythm section and three “stellar” producers merged together to create an amazing musical backdrop — but it was Aretha’s vocal performance that stole the show.

“It was stunning. Our jaws were on the floor.”

When Hamish Stuart saw Aretha Franklin perform: 鈥淲hat a moment!鈥�

Hamish Stuart tells Johnnie about the moment the band saw Aretha perform at Atlantic.

The Scottish funk legend was also given the opportunity to sing on a couple of Aretha Franklin albums, but his fondest memory was of the time he got to share a stage, and microphone, with the legendary singer.

A fellow Atlantic act, The Spinners, were playing at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Hamish and Aretha were invited up at the end of the set to sing with the band. The Scot remembered feeling somewhat overawed by the situation:-

“I barely sang a note. I was just so enthralled with this amazing woman and amazing voice.”

The lengths to which Jerry Wexler went to ensure people didn鈥檛 realise Average White Band were white and Scottish

An interview with 大象传媒 Radio 2鈥檚 Johnnie Walker

Annie Lennox sang with Aretha Franklin on the 1985 smash hit Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves. The song was used on both the Eurythmics album Be Yourself Tonight and Aretha’s Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

Aretha released a cover version of the Lulu song Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool For You Baby) in 1972.

Barbara Dickson covered Do Right Woman, Do Right Man on her debut album — and named the album itself after it!

Fellow Average White Band member Alan Gorrie explains the appeal his group’s sound had with the burgeoning hip hop scene of the late 1980s and early 90s. The group were sampled by artists as diverse as TLC and Eric B. & Rakim.