Which record label signed Aretha Franklin when she was 18?

Aretha Franklin was signed by Columbia Records when she was 18. In 1960, she moved from Detroit to New York with her father’s support and secured a recording contract with the major label.

Columbia producer John Hammond helped shape her early professional career. Her Columbia recordings explored pop standards, jazz, blues, doo-wop, and rhythm and blues rather than concentrating solely on the gospel style she had performed in church. Her debut album, Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo, appeared in 1961.

The Columbia years are sometimes overshadowed by Franklin’s later triumphs. Columbia gave her an important start, but her breakthrough came after she joined Atlantic Records in 1966. At Atlantic, producer Jerry Wexler emphasized the gospel and blues power that became central to her identity as the Queen of Soul. Motown and RCA were associated with other possibilities early in her career, but Columbia was the label that actually signed her at 18.