Robbie Robertson adored Aretha Franklin’s version of his best-known song, 'The Weight'

The Band's Robbie Robertson, who died Wednesday in Los Angeles at age 80, had plenty of career highlights to his name.

But one of his most cherished moments came in spring 1969, when he learned that Aretha Franklin had recorded a cover of his signature composition, “The Weight,” released by his group the Band just months earlier.

With Duane Allman on swampy slide guitar, the Queen of Soul’s rendition of the song wound up outperforming the original on the charts, peaking at No. 19 on Billboard’s pop list and No. 4 on the R&B side. The track was ultimately included on the Detroit singer's 1970 album "This Girl's in Love With You."

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“When the legendary Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler told me that he had recorded ‘The Weight’ with Aretha Franklin, I thought, how does it get better than that?” Robertson wrote on Facebook on Aug. 16, 2018, the day of Franklin’s death.

“When I heard their version, I was thrilled that she sang the hell out of it and had Duane Allman on slide guitar. A dream come true. Aretha doesn’t scream, squall, or yell, she SINGS — from the heavens with grace and style.”

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Robbie Robertson adored Aretha Franklin’s cover of his best-known song