Aretha Franklin had made nine albums while under contract to Columbia Records but had remained commercially unsuccessful.
Wexler had arranged for Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill from Stax to join the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section at Rick Hall's FAME Studios.
[6] Musicians on the record included Ken Laxton on trumpet, King Curtis and Charles Chalmers on tenor saxophone, Willie Bridges on baritone saxophone, Spooner Oldham on Wurlitzer electronic piano, Chips Moman and Jimmy Johnson on guitar, Tommy Cogbill on bass guitar, and Roger Hawkins on drums.
The FAME session was later disrupted by a fight between Ted White and trumpeter Ken Laxton,[9][10] leaving the B-side, "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" unfinished.
Wexler recorded more songs with Franklin in Atlantic's New York City studio, with some members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section flown in to complete "Do Right Woman" and a number of other tracks (including "Respect").
[11] Billboard described "I Never Loved a Man" as "a powerful blues wailer that will create much excitement in both pop and r&b markets.
Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Spencer Wiggins and Jennifer Hudson have also covered the song.