Ray Charles joined Aretha Franklin for a duet on “Spirit in the Dark” on her Fillmore West live album.
The performance comes from Aretha Live at Fillmore West, recorded during Franklin’s celebrated March 1971 concerts at San Francisco’s Fillmore West. Franklin first performs “Spirit in the Dark” with her band, then Charles joins her for an extended reprise. Their exchange turns the song into a spirited soul and gospel-style call-and-response showcase.
The pairing was especially notable because Franklin and Charles were two major figures in American rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel-influenced popular music. The album also captures Franklin performing songs such as “Respect,” “Bridge over Troubled Water,” and “Eleanor Rigby.” A common mix-up is confusing the guest appearance with the song’s writer: “Spirit in the Dark” was written by Franklin, while Ray Charles was the guest vocalist and also played electric piano on the recording.