The Queen in Waiting: The Columbia Years (1960–1965) is a 2002 compilation album of Aretha Franklin's early recordings from 1960 to 1965 when she was signed to Columbia Records. It was repackaged as part of The Essential series in 2010,[4] with a three-disc set containing eight additional songs also being released as The Essential 3.0.[3]
The Queen in Waiting: The Columbia Years (1960–1965)
The Queen in Waiting highlights Franklin's jazz and big-band recordings with Columbia before she became famous after she moved to Atlantic Records.[5] Not knowing how to best utilize Franklin's talent, her producers had her record a mixture of jazz, blues, gospel, pop, and soul, and Columbia was criticized for mismanaging Franklin during her tenure with them.[6][7] Collections such as this one and the more comprehensive Take a Look: Aretha Franklin Complete on Columbia are attempts to bring exposure to Franklin's catalog of early recordings.[7]