Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin is known as the queen of soul and remains one of the most respected soul and R&B singers of all time. She grew up in the tradition of gospel music, singing at the church where her father preached. The peak of her popularity was in the 1960s but she retains affection from her legions of fans. Franklin has been awarded several Grammys and has performed at various historic events in America. She sang at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and at the 1992 presidential inauguration for Bill Clinton. President George W. Bush awarded Franklin the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Aretha was born in 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Detroit. Her two sisters, Emma Franklin and Carolyn Franklin, also became singers. Many songs recorded by Aretha Franklin have become soul standards. Her performances have been used for several movies and TV commercials. She’s worked with the best producers over the years, including Jerry Wexler and Curtis Mayfield. It’s her unique vocal delivery however, that makes her records so special. Aretha’s hits have included two #1 songs on the Billboard chart. Her own influences come from past luminaries such as Mahalia Jackson, but she also cites Chaka Khan as one of her favorites. Franklin is also a fan of American Idol winner, Fantasia Barrino.
Aretha Franklin is best known for her legendary rendition of the historical gem, “Respect.” Originally written and sung by Otis Redding, Franklin recorded it in 1967 and the song became a battle cry for the feminist movement. The prolific songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin supplied Aretha with the ballad, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” in the same year. “Think” became another landmark recording of the 1960s and Aretha performed the song in the 1980 hit movie, The Blues Brothers. It starred John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, and James Brown and Ray Charles also sang in the film. Franklin had a pop hit with “I Say A Little Prayer (For You),” penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Stevie Wonder co-wrote and originally recorded” Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)” and Aretha Franklin covered it in 1973. The song was yet another hit accredited to Luther Vandross. The 1980s brought several collaborations as everyone wanted to work with the queen of soul. She performed a duet with George Michael called “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” and another duet with Annie Lennox on “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves,” another feminist call to arms. Other duets included working with Elton John, James Brown, and Whitney Houston. Legendary guitarist Carlos Santana performed on her single, “Freeway of Love.”
In 1991, Aretha Franklin released a cover version of “Everyday People,” written and originally recorded by Sly Stone. Her 1998 album, A Rose Is Still A Rose, brought her to the attention of a newer generation. Tracks included contributions from Lauryn Hill, Jermaine Dupri, and Diddy. Aretha Franklin has been married and divorced on two occasions. Her first marriage was to her manager, Ted White, and she then married actor Glynn Turman. Aretha has four sons. YUDDY |
