The BBC have showed a TV film from 1972 of Aretha Franklin (the Queen of Sou) giving a special gospel concert…this was filmed live using hand-held cameras and sound equipment. The film is a later edit of material originally filmed over two nights in 1972.

The film is good in two different ways. The first is that, through Aretha, it reminds everyone of the powerful roots, provided by gospel, that have nurtured a whole series of singing superstars. The second good thing about this film is that it reminds us, through the evident technical difficulties of the filming, just how difficult this kind of live documentary filming was, before the advent of digital and synchronised sound.

The film, Amazing Grace, is available here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000qzvh/amazing-grace