The Sweet Inspirations were top-tier background singers and an accomplished recording act in their own right. Widely known for their extensive work behind Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley, the group is also what links Top Ten pop hits by Van Morrison, Dusty Springfield, and Frankie Valli. Signed to Atlantic, they charted with nine singles, including the number 18 pop hit "Sweet Inspiration." Among their five Atlantic albums, which range chronologically from The Sweet Inspirations (1967) to Sweet Sweet Soul (1970), they reaffirmed their church background with the entirely self-composed gospel set Songs of Faith & Inspiration. Since brief affiliations with Stax and RSO in the 1970s, and a period of inactivity lasting from the 1980s through the mid-'90s, they've occasionally recorded and have been more active on-stage, most frequently participating in Elvis tributes.