Carolyn Franklin wrote “Ain’t No Way” for her sister Aretha Franklin. The last track on the Lady Soul album, released in January, 1968, the song was recorded in December, 1967, with producer Jerry Wexler and engineer Tom Dowd. The Sweet Inspirations’ Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mom) can be heard hitting the high notes.
A film clip shot for ABC News shows Carolyn rehearsing the song with Aretha while Aretha’s husband Ted White and Dowd listen in. The clip also features Aretha lip-synching to “Chain of Fools” on Swingin’ Time, a teen music TV show that was hosted by WKNR Detroit personality Robin Seymour and also CKLW radio’s Tom Shannon. The show was broadcast on CKLW-TV out of Windsor, Ontario from 1965 to 1968. A final segment shows Aretha rehearsing with the Sweet Inspirations in her home.
A radio interview from 1982 has also just been posted of Tom Dowd discussing working with Aretha et al.
