"Rock Steady" is a song that combines together two of the most interesting music genres there are, funk and soul.
Released in 1971 by Aretha Franklin, on the album "Young, Gifted and Black", it has been produced by Tom Dowd, Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin for the Atlantic label.
Aretha also wrote the song, for which she played the piano, alongside Donny Hathaway who played the electric piano and organ.
The personnel was completed by drummer Bernard Purdie, guitarist Cornell Dupree, organist Richard Tee, Chuck Rainey played the bass guitar, The Sweethearts of Soul provided backing vocals, Robert Popwell and Dr. John with the percussion, The Memphis Horns with the trumpet and the tenor saxophone, engineered by Gene Paul.
Having another interesting and successful song as the B-side, namely "Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby)", "Rock Steady" got certified Gold by the RIAA.
Since its autumn release in 1971, the song has climbed the ranks, getting as high as ninth on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching second on the Best Selling Soul Singles charts.
Getting covered by The Jackson Sisters in 1976 and by Prince in 2007 for his album "Indigo Nights", the song has also been tried on by Namie Amuro in 2008 and Richard Elliot in 2010 as an instrumental song.
The song was even used as a movie soundtrack in 1998 for "Dr. Dolittle", by Dawn Robinson from En Vogue.
A great funky song, "Rock Steady" by Aretha Franklin now has its piano sheet available down below for anyone who appreciates her songs.
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