A testament to the impeccable taste of the greatest soul singer of all time — mostly big names and classics, rounded off by gospel giant Clara Ward, and the song Aretha sang at her funeral.

All the stuff he did for Smash.

‘Laura liberated musicians to employ all their influences in crafting a pop song – as she had combined jazz, folk, classical, 60s soul, the Beatles, Dylan, Tin Pan Alley… so ahead of its time it’s still ahead…’

Fine Detroit doo wop, Drifters and Coasters style, definitively presented in this limited edition.

‘Their entire output in upgraded sound from the correct master sources, including recently discovered tapes and unissued demos, with a booklet jammed with illustrations from the group’s personal archives and a 9,000-word essay based on input from all the members, including commentary from Sly himself. Truly the last word on Sly Stone’s first phase.’

1965-67 recordings for John Dolphin’s Los Angeles label, including — amongst numerous original compositions by Bettye herself — the classic chart-topper Make Me Yours.

This is a system test record.

Hair-down rock and roll, artful blues balladry and deep soul, for labels like King and Checker, with musicians like Mickey Baker and Specs Powell in NYC, and Allen Toussaint and Lee Allen in New Orleans.