Producer Jerry Wexler (interviewed by Alan Elliott, 2007)
Kenny Lupper was so good that he was used on many selections, maybe a majority instead of Richard Tee. We used all the rest of the guys. This will show you what level of record producer you’re talking to...the idea of bringing a profane rhythm section into church is unheard of. A certain...sometimes they had one trombone and a tambourine or something, but to bring a lay rhythm section into church is unheard of. I brought them out there ahead of time so they could rehearse with Cleveland. They’re all black, they all come from church, somewhere in the DNA, somewhere in the environmental stimulus, there’s church. However,
they had been playing profane music all their lives, hadn’t playing in church. And there’s a very subtle distinction between gospel syncopation and r&b syncopation. And I wanted them to get back there and relearn how to be stone black gospel and I had them rehearse. And that’s what I did and what do you think of that? I never made a nickel off it, of course, and I never will. If he could replace Richard Tee ... It’s the only platinum record Aretha made with Atlantic. Neither did Ray Charles. For all the so-called hip people, who said they bought his record, they’re full of shit, he never had a platinum record...Arif was in the truck...There was nothing I really had to do except sit there and be a witness. Remember, these were official church services. I couldn’t stop and say, let’s rehearse those eight bars again; It had to go forward. We didn’t stop for anything except if they stopped on their own.