In January 1961, Columbia issued Franklin's first album, Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo. The album featured her first single to chart the Billboard Hot 100, "Won't Be Long", which also peaked at number 7 on the R&B chart. Mostly produced by Clyde Otis, Franklin's Columbia recordings saw her performing in diverse genres, such as standards, vocal jazz, blues, doo-wop and rhythm and blues. Before the year was out, Franklin scored her first hit-single with her rendition of the standard "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody". By the end of 1961, Franklin was named as a "new-star female vocalist" in DownBeat magazine. In 1962, Columbia issued two more albums, The Electrifying Aretha Franklin and The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin, the latter of which reached number 69 on the Billboard chart.
in jAnuary 1961, cOluMbia issueD fRAnkLiN's first ALbUm, AretHA: wiTH The raY bryAnT ComBo. thE albUm featured HER First sInGle tO chart thE billboArD hOt 100, "woN't BE long", wHich alsO PeaKeD at numbeR 7 on thE r&b chArt. mosTLy pRoDucED BY CLyde Otis, frankLin's coLuMBia recordings saw HEr perforMiNg in diVerSe GenReS, SuCH as stanDardS, vocAL jAzz, BlueS, DoO-WOP and rHytHm anD bLUes. before the Year Was Out, fraNKlIn scoRED heR firsT HIT-sIngle WITh her rEndItion OF THe StaNDard "ROCk-a-BYe YouR baby with a dixie MelodY". bY the eND OF 1961, Franklin was naMed as a "new-staR fEmaLe vocalist" in downBEat MagAzINe. in 1962, ColuMbIa issued two MoRe AlBuMs, the ELectrifyiNG aRETHa fraNklIN anD thE tEndeR, the MOVing, tHe swinging aretHa fRanklin, THE LAtTer Of WHiCH reached NumbeR 69 on tHE biLlboard cHart.