Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her
soulSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
recordings and referred to as
The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at
jazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
,
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
,
R&BRhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
,
gospel musicGospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, and
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
.
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time as well as the
ninth greatest artist of all time. She has won 18 competitive Grammys and two honorary Grammys. She has 20 No.1 singles on the
Billboard R&B Singles ChartHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and two No.1 hits on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
: "
Respect"Respect" is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. "Respect" became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The music in the two versions is significantly different, and through a few minor changes in the lyrics, the stories told...
" (1967) and "
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"I Knew You Were Waiting " is a song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.-Music video:...
" (1987), a duet with
George MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
. Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. She also has the most million-selling singles (14) of any female artist. Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 No.1 R&B albums—more than any other female artist. In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. She was the only featured singer at the 2009
presidential inaugurationThe inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The inauguration, which set a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joe...
of
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
.
Early life and career: 1942–1959
Aretha Louise Franklin (named for two aunts) was born in a two-room house in
MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
located at 406 Lucy St. She was the third of four children born to
Barbara (née Siggers)Barbara Vernice Siggers Franklin was the mother of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin and wife of C. L. Franklin, the famous black Baptist preacher. She married C.L...
and
C.L. FranklinClarence LaVaughn Franklin , was an American Baptist minister, a civil rights activist, and father of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin.-Background:...
and the fifth of six overall in between past relationships by her parents. Franklin's family moved to
BuffaloBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, when Franklin was two, and then by four, they had settled in Detroit. Following the move to Detroit, Franklin's parents, who had a troubled marriage, split. Due to her father's work as a
BaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister, Franklin was primarily raised by her grandmother, Rachel. Franklin suffered a tragedy when her mother died in Buffalo when Aretha was ten. Franklin sang in church at an early age and learned how to play piano by ear.
By her late preteens, Franklin was regularly singing solo numbers in her father's
New Bethel Baptist Church. C.L. (né Clarence LaVaughn) Franklin, Aretha's father, was a respected local preacher. She grew up with local and national celebrities hanging out at her father's home including gospel greats
Albertina Walker-Early years:Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Ruben and Camille Coleman Walker. Her mother was born in Houston County, Georgia, and her father in Bibb County, Georgia. They moved to Chicago between 1917-1920 where they lived out their lives. Albertina had four siblings born in Bibb County...
and her group
The CaravansThe Caravans is a Jubilee Gospel group that was started by Albertina Walker . The group reached its peak popularity during the 1950s and 1960s, launching the careers of a number of artists, including: Delores Washington, Albertina Walker, Bessie Griffin, Cassietta George, Dorothy Norwood, Inez...
,
Mahalia JacksonMahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
and
Clara WardClara Ward was an American gospel artist who achieved great success, both artistic and commercial, in the 1940s and 1950s as leader of The Famous Ward Singers....
, three women who played a pivotal role in her vocal development as a child.
Early success: 1960–1966
She released her first single for Columbia in September 1960, aged 18. It reached No. 10 on Billboards R&B chart. Her first album was released in January 1961. The label had her record mainly
jazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-influenced pop music, hoping for success with this format as the label had with
Billie HolidayBillie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
. Columbia founder
John H. HammondJohn Henry Hammond II was an American record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s...
acknowledged in an interview years later that he felt Columbia did not really understand Franklin's background in gospel and failed to bring that aspect out in her secular recordings.
After scoring two more Top 10 R&B hits with "Operation Heartbreak" and "Won't Be Long" in 1961, Franklin scored her first Top 40 pop hit with her rendition of "
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" is a popular song written by Jean Schwartz, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was published in 1918....
". Later releases failed to find similar success, although Franklin had a near-Top 50 hit with "Runnin' Out of Fools" (1963).
After the release of a tribute album to
Dinah WashingtonDinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
, Columbia drifted away from their early jazz dreams for Franklin and had the singer record renditions of
girl groupA girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
-oriented hits including "
The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)"The Shoop Shoop Song " is a song written by Rudy Clark. The song was made a hit when recorded by Betty Everett, who hit #1 on the Cashbox magazine R&B charts with it in 1964...
", "
Every Little Bit Hurts"Every Little Bit Hurts" was originally a 1964 hit single for Motown soul singer Brenda Holloway, written by Ed Cobb.Though she was against recording the song again , she reluctantly recorded the song and the label released it in the summer of the year...
" and "
Mockingbird"Mockingbird" is a 1963 song written and recorded by Inez and Charlie Foxx, based on the folk song "Hush Little Baby".-1960s:The original single was credited to Inez Foxx with vocal accompaniment by her brother Charlie, as they alternated the lyric on a syllabic basis...
" but every attempt to bring her success with the material failed. This did not, however, prevent her building a reputation as a multi-talented vocalist and musician. During a show in 1965, the master of ceremonies gave Franklin a
tiaraA tiara is a form of crown. There are two possible types of crown that this word can refer to.Traditionally, the word "tiara" refers to a high crown, often with the shape of a cylinder narrowed at its top, made of fabric or leather, and richly ornamented. It was used by the kings and emperors of...
and declared her "the queen of soul". The title would prove to be prophetic. By 1966, struggling with recording for Columbia, Franklin decided not to sign a new contract with the label and settled on a deal with
AtlanticAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. After she gained success at Atlantic, Columbia began releasing Franklin material from its vaults, and continued doing so until 1969.
Superstardom: 1967–1972
Franklin began recording her first songs for Atlantic in early 1967. Initially sent to Muscle Shoals's legendary FAME studios where the
Muscle Shoals Rhythm SectionThe Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers, are a group of American soul, R&B, and country studio musicians based in the town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama...
was the in-house band, Franklin cut her first song – the
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
ballad "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", which finally allowed Franklin to show her gospel side. Tensions between Franklin's then-husband and then-manager Ted White and a musician led to Franklin and White hiding from public view in New York. Franklin eventually returned to the studio in New York to record the b-side, the gospel-oriented "
Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" is a single by Aretha Franklin. It was released in March 1967. Rolling Stone listed it as number 476 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.-Production:...
". "I Never Loved a Man" soared up both the pop and R&B charts upon its release peaking at number-nine and number-one respectively.
Her second single with Atlantic would also be her biggest, most acclaimed work. "
Respect"Respect" is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. "Respect" became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The music in the two versions is significantly different, and through a few minor changes in the lyrics, the stories told...
", originally recorded and written by R&B singer
Otis ReddingOtis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, would become a bigger hit after Franklin's gospel-fueled rendition of the song. The song also started a pattern of Franklin in later songs during this period producing a
call and responseCall and response is a form of "spontaneous verbal and non-verbal interaction between speaker and listener in which all of the statements are punctuated by expressions from the listener."...
vocal with Franklin usually backed up by her sisters
ErmaErma Franklin was an American gospel and R&B singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara and the Reverend C. L. Franklin and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin...
and
Carolyn FranklinCarolyn Ann Franklin was an American singer and songwriter and the baby sister of musician Aretha Franklin and daughter of prominent preacher C. L. Franklin.-Biography:...
or The Sweet Inspirations. Franklin is credited with arranging the background vocals and ad-libbing the line, "r-e-s-p-e-c-t, find out what it means to me/take care of TCB", while her sisters shouted afterwards, "sock it to me". Franklin's version peaked at number one on
the Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming a sixties anthem. Franklin had three more top ten hits in 1967 – "
Baby I Love You"Baby I Love You" is a popular song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. It was the only single release from her Aretha Arrives album in 1967, the song was a huge hit. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spent two weeks at number-one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart...
", "
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" A Natural Woman" is a 1967 single released by American soul singer Aretha Franklin on the Atlantic label. The record was a big hit for Franklin, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a standard song for her...
" and "
Chain of Fools"Chain of Fools" is a song written by Don Covay. Aretha Franklin first released the song as a single in 1967 and subsequently it appeared on many of her albums. It reached number one on the U.S...
". "Respect" later won Franklin her first two
GrammysA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
. She eventually won eight consecutive Grammys under the
Best Female R&B Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
category.
By the end of the year, Franklin not only became a superstar but she stood as one of the symbols of the
civil rights movementThe civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
partially due to her rendition of "Respect", which had a feminist-powered theme after Franklin recorded it. Franklin's other hits during the late sixties included "Think", her rendition of
Dionne WarwickDionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
's "
I Say a Little Prayer"I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967.-Background:...
", "
Ain't No Way"Ain't No Way" is a song written by singer-songwriter Carolyn Franklin and sung by her elder sister Aretha Franklin as the b-side to her 1968 hit, " Since You've Been Gone."-History:...
" and "The House That Jack Built" among others. By the end of the sixties, Franklin's title as "the queen of soul" became permanent in the eyes of the media. After a few struggles in 1969, she returned with the ballad, "
Call Me"Call Me" is a song recorded and written by American Soul singer Aretha Franklin. The song was co-produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin. Franklin came up with the idea for the song after she saw a young couple engaged in deep conversation on New York's Park Avenue. Before they parted,...
" in January 1970. That same year she had another hit with her gospel version of
Ben E. KingBenjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
's "
Don't Play That SongDon't Play That Song may refer to:*Don't Play That Song, an album by Aretha Franklin*Don't Play That Song!, an album by Ben E. King*"Don't Play That Song ", a Ben E. King song also covered by Aretha Franklin...
", while in 1971, Franklin was one of the first black performers to headline
Fillmore WestThe Fillmore West was an historic music venue in San Francisco, California made famous by concert promoter Bill Graham. Named after Graham's original "Fillmore" location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it stood at Market Street and South Van Ness Avenue and was formerly...
where she later released a live album. That same year she released the acclaimed Young, Gifted & Black album, which featured two top ten hits, the ballad "
Daydreamin'"Daydreamin" is the Grammy Award–winning third single taken from Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor album and features soul singer Jill Scott and music from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, the Danse de Cygnes...
" and the
funkFunk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
-oriented "
Rocksteady"Rock Steady" is a song written and performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1971, from the album Young, Gifted and Black. The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart...
". In 1972, she released her first gospel album in nearly two decades with
Amazing Grace-Disc 1:#"Mary Don't You Weep" #"Take My Hand, Precious Lord" /"You've Got a Friend" / #"Old Landmark"#"Give Yourself to Jesus" #"How I Got Over"...
. The album eventually became her biggest-selling release ever, selling over two million copies and becoming the best-selling gospel album of all time.
Decline and fallout with Atlantic: 1973–1979
Aretha had another number-one R&B hit in 1973 with the
Carolyn FranklinCarolyn Ann Franklin was an American singer and songwriter and the baby sister of musician Aretha Franklin and daughter of prominent preacher C. L. Franklin.-Biography:...
and William "Sonny" Sanders-composed "
Angel"Angel" is a soul ballad recorded by American singer Aretha Franklin. The song was co-written by Aretha's sister, Carolyn, and Sonny Saunders. Aretha co-produced the song with Quincy Jones and it originally appeared on Aretha's 1973 album "Hey Now Hey "...
", however its parent album,
Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)Hey Now Hey is a 1973 album by Aretha Franklin. It was a commercial failure, being the first Atlantic album by Franklin to miss the Top 25 of the album chart peaking at #30....
, failed to repeat the success of Franklin's other albums. By 1974, after four years performing in Afrocentric-styled clothing, the singer glammed up her look and styled red hair releasing
Let Me In Your LifeLet Me in Your Life is a successful album by Aretha Franklin. It hit #1 on Billboards R&B albums chart and #14 on Billboards main album chart. It sold well, missing the Gold standard by a small margin. Featuring three hit singles, it is regarded as one of Franklin's best Atlantic recordings...
. The album yielded the smash single, "
Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)"Until You Come Back to Me " is the name of a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version did not appear on an album until 1977's Anthology...
". While several singles would later find success on the R&B charts, Franklin was losing favor with pop audiences as soul music was starting to be overtaken by the emerging
discoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
genre. Atlantic Records had also by this point given priority attention to
Roberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, leading to relations between Franklin and the company becoming estranged as a result. Franklin turned down a number of tracks giving to her by Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson (though eventually they would contribute to her 1975 album,
YouYou is an Aretha Franklin album, released in 1975. It was a commercial failure, stalling at #83 on Billboards main album chart. The album's only single to chart, "Mr. D.J.", stalled at #53 on Billboards Hot 100. This recording has been out of print since the early 1980s and has never been issued...
). Several of the songs including "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" was later recorded by
Natalie ColeNatalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
. After the arrivals of Cole and
Chaka KhanChaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
, Franklin's star ebbed.
She briefly returned to the top 40 in 1976 with the
Curtis MayfieldCurtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
production,
SparkleSparkle is an Aretha Franklin album, written and produced by Curtis Mayfield. The disc is the soundtrack album for the 1976 Warner Bros. motion picture Sparkle, starring Irene Cara...
, which spawned the number-one R&B hit, "
Giving Him Something He Can Feel"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the soundtrack to the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Supremes/Motown-esque style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976...
". Despite this, Franklin struggled to find success with subsequent releases. After the release of 1979's La Diva, an attempt for Franklin to find a disco audience that flopped, selling less than 50,000 copies, Franklin's contract with Atlantic expired. Neither Atlantic nor Aretha had any interest in renewing it. While she was performing in Las Vegas on June 10, 1979, Franklin's father, C.L., was shot during an attempted robbery at his LaSalle Street home in Detroit. The incident left C.L. in a coma for the next five years. Aretha moved back to the Detroit area in late 1982 from Los Angeles (where she had lived since 1976) to help care for her father.
Comeback: 1980–1989
In 1980, Franklin, among other prominent
rhythm and bluesRhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and
soulSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
artists including
Ray CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
and
James BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, appeared in the film
The Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
. Franklin appeared as the wife of musician Matt "Guitar" Murphy, who engages in a brief war of words with
Dan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
and
John BelushiJohn Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
before going into "Think". Following that performance,
Clive DavisClive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
signed Franklin to his
Arista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
imprint. The singles "United Together" and the
George BensonGeorge Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
-featured "Love All the Hurt Away" returned Franklin to the R&B top ten while 1982's
Jump to ItJump To It is a Gold-certified*, chart-topping Aretha Franklin album, produced by the late Luther Vandross and originally released in the summer of 1982....
, featuring a
contemporary R&BContemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
production style by
Luther VandrossLuther Ronzoni Vandross was an American singer-songwriter and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
, became a comeback of sorts for Franklin on the pop music chart. The album stayed at No. 1 on the R&B Albums chart for seven weeks and crossed to No. 23 on the
Billboard 200 album chartThe Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling over 600,000 units and becoming Aretha's first gold-certified album since the
Sparkle soundtrackSparkle is an Aretha Franklin album, written and produced by Curtis Mayfield. The disc is the soundtrack album for the 1976 Warner Bros. motion picture Sparkle, starring Irene Cara...
. The title track became Franklin's first number-one R&B hit in five years while also hitting No. 24 on the Hot 100. After the relative failure of her 1983 follow-up, Get It Right, also produced by Vandross, Franklin took some personal time off. Following the July 1984 death of her father, she entered the United Sound Studios in Detroit to record a new album for Arista in October of that year. Inspired by the recent success of fellow artist
Tina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
and Arista's emerging star
Whitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
, Arista paired Franklin with
Narada Michael WaldenNarada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
.
The album released in July 1985,
Who's Zoomin' Who?Who's Zoomin' Who? is the ever first million-selling, Platinum-certified album by Aretha Franklin, originally released in the summer of 1985. It was the first of four Platinum records in Franklin's 50-plus year recording career....
, featured R&B, pop,
danceDance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
,
synthpopSynthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
and
rockRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
elements and became Franklin's first platinum-certified success. The album launched several major hits including the title track and the Motown-inspired "
Freeway of Love"Freeway of Love" is a Grammy Award-winning song released as the first single from Aretha Franklin's 1985 album Who's Zoomin' Who?. It was very successful in the United States, peaking at the #3 position of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and topping the Hot R&B Singles chart for five weeks . It went...
". The rock-influenced
Annie LennoxAnnie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
duet, "
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a hit duet recorded between British pop duo Eurythmics and American soul/R&B musician Aretha Franklin, released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985...
" also became a hit for Franklin on the pop charts though it failed to climb higher than No.66 on the R&B chart due to its more
pop rockPop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
-leaning sound. Music Videos for each of the singles became prominent fixtures on MTV,
BETBet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
and VH-1 among other video channels. In 1986, Franklin released her
self-titled follow-upAretha is an Aretha Franklin album, originally released in 1986. This is the third album with this title to be released by the artist. Other Franklin albums titled Aretha were also released in 1980 and 1961....
to Who's Zoomin' Who. The album sold almost a million copies, and featured the number-one hit, "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me", a duet with
George MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
. In April 1987, the song became Franklin's first single since "Respect" to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Other hits from the album included a cover of "
Jumpin' Jack Flash"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by Rolling Stone, the song was perceived by some as the band's return to their blues roots after the psychedelia of their preceding...
" and another Motown-inspired hit, "
Jimmy LeeThe song "Jimmy Lee" was a hit single by American singer Aretha Franklin. The single is the lead-off track on her 1986 album Aretha, and charted at #2 R&B and #28 Pop single on the Billboard Singles chart in early-1987...
". In 1987 she returned to her gospel roots with the album,
One Lord, One Faith, One BaptismOne Lord, One Faith, One Baptism is a 1987 gospel album recorded by Aretha Franklin, for Arista Records. Recorded at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, over the course of three nights , One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism became an album that combined the gospel talents of Aretha, her...
, which failed to repeat the success of Amazing Grace despite a powerful rendition of "
Oh Happy Day"Oh Happy Day" is a 1967 gospel music arrangement of an 18th century hymn. Recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers, it became an international hit in 1969, reaching US #4 and UK #2 on the pop charts...
", featuring
Mavis StaplesMavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
, but did reach the Top 10 of Billboard's gospel chart. In 1986, she sang the theme song ("Together") for the
ABCThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television network.
Later work: 1989–2003
In 1989, Franklin returned with her first pop album in three years with
Through the StormThrough The Storm Is a 80s album by Aretha Franklin, released on Arista Records in the spring of 1989. Despite the hit title track, "Through The Storm" - a duet with superstar Elton John, the album was a critical and sales failure. It sold approximately 225,000 copies in the United States and was...
but despite scoring a Top 20 hit with the title track featuring
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and the presence of Whitney Houston in their duet single, "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Ever Gonna Be", the album tanked, as did a follow-up, 1991's
new jack swingNew jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
effort, What You See Is What You Sweat. After singing
Donny HathawayDonny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
's "
Someday We'll All Be Free"Someday We'll All Be Free" is a 1973 song by Donny Hathaway from the album Extension of a Man. The song was released as the flipside to the single "Love, Love, Love"...
" on the
Malcolm X soundtrackMalcolm X is a 1992 biographical motion picture about the Muslim-American figure Malcolm X . It was co-written, co-produced, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Denzel Washington as the titular character. It co-stars Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman, Jr., and Delroy Lindo...
in 1992 and singing at then-President
Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's inauguration ceremony in 1993, Franklin returned to favor with pop audiences later in 1993 with the release of the dance single, "Deeper Love", which was featured on the soundtrack of
Sister Act 2: Back in the HabitSister Act 2: Back In The Habit is a 1993 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg. Directed by Bill Duke, and released by Touchstone Pictures, it is the sequel to the successful 1992 film Sister Act...
. The following year, Franklin issued her Arista hits album and with Babyface released two hit singles, "Honey" and the top 40 pop ballad "Willing to Forgive". In 1995, her song "It Hurts Like Hell" appeared on the soundtrack for the movie
Waiting to ExhaleWaiting to Exhale is a 1995 romance film starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett, directed by Forest Whitaker. The movie was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Beach, Gregory Hines, Donald Faison and Mykelti...
. Four years passed until Franklin released another album. 1998's
A Rose Is Still a RoseA Rose is Still a Rose is the thirty-sixth studio album by American recording artist Aretha Franklin. Released in 1998, it resulted in the singer's best critically acclaimed and best-selling album of the nineties and her first gold-certified album in twelve years.-Background:By 1997, Aretha...
reintroduced Franklin to a new R&B audience and featured elements of
neo soulThe term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
and
hip hop soulHip hop soul is sub-genre of contemporary R&B which fuses R&B, neo soul and dance elements with hip hop. The term did not originate until the promotion for Mary J. Blige's debut album What's the 411? in 1992 when Uptown Records proclaimed her to be the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul" and generally...
with production from
Lauryn HillLauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
,
Jermaine DupriJermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
and
Sean "Puffy" CombsSean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
. The title track, written and produced by Hill, became Franklin's biggest hit in years reaching number 26 on the Hot 100 and reaching the R&B top five.
She later reprised her role as Matt "Guitar" Murphy's wife in the Blues Brothers remake,
Blues Brothers 2000Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. Directed by John Landis, the film featured Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameos by many musicians.-Plot:...
singing "Respect". She struggled to record a successful follow-up, however, and it would be five more years before a new album emerged. Franklin issued her next album,
So Damn HappySo Damn Happy is a studio album by the "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin, released in 2003 on Arista Records.This is Aretha's first studio album since 1998's Gold-certified record A Rose Is Still A Rose...
, in 2003.
Current work: 2004–present
In 2003, after 23 years with Arista, Franklin parted with the company and decided to go on the independent route, forming Aretha's Records two years later. Franklin released a duets compilation album,
Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the QueenJewels In The Crown is a duets compilation album by American Soul singer Aretha Franklin. It was released in 2007 by Arista, and comprises a combination of classic duets spanning Franklin's career, and two newly recorded duets with Fantasia and John Legend. It also contains two live duets, one from...
, in 2007. The album featured the
FantasiaFantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
duet, "
Put You Up on Game"Put You Up On Game" is a duet recorded between R&B/soul singers Aretha Franklin and Fantasia. The song is the lead and only single released from Franklin's Jewels In The Crown: All-Star Duets With The Queen. When released as a single on U.S. Urban AC radio on October 1, 2007, the song became the...
", which despite becoming a modest hit on Urban AC radio, stalled at No. 41 on the R&B charts. A year later, Franklin issued her first holiday album,
This Christmas, ArethaThis Christmas, Aretha is the 2008 Christmas album by Aretha Franklin. Initially a Borders exclusive, it was reissued in 2009 on DMI Records....
. After initially being released as a
BordersBorders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
exclusive, it was later released by the DMI label.
In 2008, Franklin was honored as
MusiCaresThe MusiCares Foundation, Inc., was established in 1989 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn, in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, its primary purpose is to focus the resources and attention of the music industry on human...
"Person of the Year", two days prior to the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, where she was awarded her 18th career Grammy. Franklin was personally asked by then newly-elected President
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to perform at his inauguration singing "My Country 'tis of Thee". The memorable hat she wore at the ceremony was donated to the
Smithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. In 2010, Franklin received an honorary music degree from Yale University.
In 2010 and through early 2011, Franklin had told the media she had selected actress
Halle BerryHalle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
to play her in the featured role of the legendary singer in a biopic loosely based on Franklin's memoirs, Aretha: From These Roots. In January 2011, Berry turned down the role. Franklin said she's now setting her sights on singers
FantasiaFantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
and
Jennifer HudsonJennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
on getting the lucrative role.
Marking her 50th anniversary in
show businessShow business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
, Franklin released her thirty-eighth studio album, A Woman Falling Out Of Love, on May 3, 2011, through WalMart. It is the first release off Franklin's own record label, Aretha's Records, a label she formed back in the 1990s. However, Aretha's new disc peaked at a disappointing #54 on Billboards main album chart, dropping off after only two weeks. She co-produced some of the new tracks. The first single from the album is the ballad "How Long I've Been Waiting" which failed to chart.
Ronald IsleyRonald Isley is an American singer and is known as the lead singer and founding member of the family music group The Isley Brothers.-Career:...
will be featured in the album doing the
Barbra StreisandBarbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
standard, "The Way We Were", as he and Franklin covered the
Carole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
classic, "
You've Got a Friend"You've Got a Friend" is a song from 1971, originally written and performed by Carole King. It was included in her album Tapestry of 1971, but was made famous by James Taylor's cover version the same year...
", first issued on Isley's Mr. I album.
Following her exit from the stage in November, 2010 and her surgery the following month, Franklin has recently returned to the stage, rescheduling dates she was forced to cancel due to recent health problems.
In September 2011,
Tony BennettTony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
released a duet with Aretha entitled "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" off of his new album,
Duets II (Tony Bennett album)Duets II is an album by Tony Bennett, released on September 20, 2011. It was released in conjunction with Bennett's 85th birthday and is a sequel to his previous duet album, Duets: An American Classic. One of the songs, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", however, was released on iTunes as a free song...
.
Personal life
In 1956, shortly after her 14th birthday, Franklin gave birth to her eldest child, a son she named Clarence (for her father). In January of 1957 she gave birth to another son, Edward. She never identified by name the father of either child. Her grandmother, Rachel, raised the boys while Aretha pursued her singing career. Rachel lived in a guest house behind C.L. Franklin's LaSalle Street home. The Franklin family moved from their home on Boston Street in Detroit's North End section to LaSalle Street during the late 1950s.
Against her father's wishes Aretha began dating a family acquaintance named Ted White. In 1961 they were quickly married in Ohio by a judge. White became her personal manager as well as co-writer. Shortly afterward, she purchased a house on Sorrento Avenue in northwest Detroit, where she resided for the next decade. Their son Teddy (Ted White Jr.) was born in 1964. She and Ted divorced in 1969. Teddy is the musical director and guitarist of her touring band. From 1969 until 1976, she had a seven-year relationship with her road manager Ken Cunningham. (Although she and Ted White did not divorce until late 1969, Aretha conceived her fourth child in June of that year.) In the early 1970s the couple moved from Detroit to New York City, at which time Aretha's grandmother moved into her Sorrento Avenue home. Their son Kecalf (from the initials of his parents' names:
Kenneth
E Cunningham
Aretha
Louise
Franklin and pronounced "kelf") was born on March 28, 1970 at Detroit's
Henry Ford HospitalHenry Ford Hospital, the flagship facility for , is an 805-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex located in Detroit ....
.
On April 11, 1978, Aretha Franklin married actor
Glynn TurmanGlynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford...
at her father's New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. Franklin's father performed the marriage ceremony. The couple returned to their home in Encino, California. In late 1982, Franklin moved back to Detroit, and in 1985 she purchased a home in West Bloomfield, where she still resides. Turman and Franklin divorced in early 1984. The couple did not have children. They remained friends, and she sang the theme song for his show, A Different World, in the late 1980s.
Franklin's sisters
ErmaErma Franklin was an American gospel and R&B singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara and the Reverend C. L. Franklin and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin...
and
CarolynCarolyn Ann Franklin was an American singer and songwriter and the baby sister of musician Aretha Franklin and daughter of prominent preacher C. L. Franklin.-Biography:...
, are both deceased, as is her brother Cecil. As of 2011, her half-brother Vaughn (born 1934) is alive as is her half-sister, Carl Ellan Kelley (née Jennings; born 1940). Kelley is C.L. Franklin's daughter by Mildred Jennings, a then 13-year-old congregant of New Salem Baptist Church of
Memphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where C.L. was pastor in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Aretha's sons, Ted White Jr. ("Teddy") and Kecalf Cunningham, are active in the music business. Teddy has been a guitarist in Aretha's back up band since the late 1980s, while Kecalf works as a Christian hip-hop rapper and producer.
Aretha Franklin is a registered
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
In September 2010, her son Edward was attacked and severely beaten by three people while at a gas station on Joy Road in northwest Detroit.
Franklin's long friendship with
Cissy HoustonEmily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
during Houston's time with The Sweet Inspirations led to Franklin becoming
Whitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's godmother. Cissy Houston sang the operatic soprano whoop in the background of Franklin's "
Ain't No Way"Ain't No Way" is a song written by singer-songwriter Carolyn Franklin and sung by her elder sister Aretha Franklin as the b-side to her 1968 hit, " Since You've Been Gone."-History:...
".
2010 surgery and rumors of cancer
In 2010, Franklin suffered a pain in her side which she said, "was so hard it almost brought me to my knees." After continuing a concert tour, the pain recurred, and she subsequently underwent surgery for an undisclosed ailment. At this time, rumors surfaced that she was suffering terminal
pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. In discussing the events in 2011, she has said that this was not the case and that her doctor told her, "the surgery that you just had is going to add 15 to 20 more years to your life."
Awards and achievements
- On June 28, 1968 she became the second African-American woman to appear on the cover of TIME
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine.
- In 1985, then-Gov. James Blanchard of Michigan declared her voice “a natural resource” during a ceremony that marked her 25 years in show business.
- Aretha Franklin is one of three musicians, along with Madonna
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
& Marvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, to have singles peak at each of the top 10 positions on the US Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
- On January 20, 1987, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
- On March 29, 1987, Franklin sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
.
- In 1987, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
degree from the University of Detroit.
- In September 1999, she was awarded The National Medal of Arts
The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts. It is the highest honor conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the people. Honorees are selected by the National Endowment for the...
by President Clinton.
- In 2004, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
ranked her No. 9 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
- In 2005, she was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
by President George W. Bush.
- In 2005, she became the second woman (Madonna being the first, a founding member) to be inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame
The UK Music Hall of Fame was an awards ceremony to honour musicians, of any nationality, for their lifetime contributions to music in the United Kingdom. The Hall of Fame started in 2004 with the induction of five founder members and five more members selected by a public televote, two from each...
.
- In 2005, Franklin was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
- On February 6, 2006, she performed, along with Aaron Neville
Aaron Neville is an American soul and R&B singer and musician. He has had four top-20 hits in the United States along with four platinum-certified albums...
, "The Star-Spangled Banner"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
" at Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
.
- On May 13, 2006, she was presented with an honorary
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of MusicThe Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
degreeAn academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
by the Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
.
- On April 1, 2007 Aretha sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 23
WrestleMania 23 was the twenty-third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 1, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan...
.
- On May 14, 2007, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
- In 2007, Aretha Franklin's recording of "Respect" was voted a Legendary Michigan Song.
- Is an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
sorority
- On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as MusiCares
The MusiCares Foundation, Inc., was established in 1989 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn, in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, its primary purpose is to focus the resources and attention of the music industry on human...
"Person of the Year".
- On February 14, 2008, Franklin was given the Vanguard award at the NAACP Image awards.
- On May 4, 2008, Franklin was given the Key to the City of Memphis at the 2008 "Memphis in May International Music Festival" by Mayor Dr. Willie Herenton during her performance onstage.
- On September 13, 2008, Franklin was ranked No .19 on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists list by Billboard.
- November 2008, Franklin was named by Rolling Stone as the No. 1 all-time best singer of the rock era, according to the magazine's survey of 179 musicians, producers, Rolling Stone editors, and other music industry insiders.
- On January 20, 2009, Franklin performed "My Country, 'Tis of Thee
"My Country, 'Tis of Thee", also known as "America", is an American patriotic song, whose lyrics were written by Samuel Francis Smith. The melody derived from Muzio Clementi's Symphony No. 3, and is shared with "God Save the Queen," used by many members of the Commonwealth of Nations...
" during the inauguration ceremony of Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. The distinctive hat she wore during that performance is displayed at the Smithsonian.
- On May 23, 2010, Franklin received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
- On February 13, 2011, the Grammy Awards paid tribute to Franklin with a medley of her classics by fellow singers Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Florence WelchFlorence Leontine Mary Welch is an English singer-songwriter, best known worldwide as the lead singer of Florence and the Machine...
, Jennifer HudsonJennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
, Martina McBrideMartina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
and Yolanda AdamsYolanda Adams is an American Grammy- and Dove-award-winning Yolanda Adams is an American [[Grammy Awards|Grammy]]- and [[Dove Awards|Dove]]-award-winning...
- On October 16, 2011, Franklin sang "Precious Lord (Take My Hand)" for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s memorial dedication ceremony in Washington, D.C. Again, she met with President Obama.
Grammy Awards
Franklin has won eighteen Grammy Awards in total during her career (she first charted in 1961) and holds the record for most Best Female R&B Vocal Performance awards with eleven to her name (including eight consecutive awards from 1968 to 1975 – the first eight awarded in that category).
| Aretha Franklin's 18 Grammy Award Wins |
| # |
Year |
Category |
Genre |
Title |
| 1 |
1968 |
Best Rhythm & Blues Recording |
R&B |
Respect |
| 2 |
1968 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
|
R&B |
Respect |
| 3 |
1969 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Chain Of Fools |
| 4 |
1970 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Share Your Love With Me |
| 5 |
1971 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Don't Play That Song For Me |
| 6 |
1972 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Bridge Over Troubled Water |
| 7 |
1973 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Young, Gifted and Black (album) |
| 8 |
1973 |
Best Soul Gospel Performance The Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance was awarded from 1969 to 1977. In 1978 the award was divided into two new awards, the Grammy Awards for Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional and Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary.Years reflect the year...
|
Gospel |
Amazing Grace (album) |
| 9 |
1974 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Master Of Eyes |
| 10 |
1975 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing |
| 11 |
1982 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Hold On...I'm Comin' (album track) |
| 12 |
1986 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Freeway Of Love |
| 13 |
1988 |
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
Aretha (album) |
| 14 |
1988 |
Best R&B Performance – Duo Or Group with Vocals The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances...
|
R&B |
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (with George Michael George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
) |
| 15 |
1989 |
Best Soul Gospel Performance – Female The Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female was awarded from 1984 to 1989. In 1990 this award was combined with the award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male as the Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male or Female....
|
Gospel |
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (album) |
| * |
1991 |
Living Legend Award The Grammy Legend Award, or the Grammy Living Legend Award, is a special award of merit given to recording artists by the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
|
Special |
|
| * |
1994 |
Lifetime Achievement Award The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording."...
|
Special |
|
| 16 |
2004 |
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers of quality traditional R&B vocal performances. The award was first given in 1999; until 2003, only...
|
R&B |
Wonderful |
| 17 |
2006 |
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance |
R&B |
A House Is Not A Home |
| 18 |
2008 |
Best Gospel-Soul Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group |
Gospel |
Never Gonna Break My Faith (with Mary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
) |
*According to NARAS Rules: 'Special' Grammy Awards (such as Lifetime Achievement) are not counted in a performer's tally.
Top 10 US Hot 100 singles
| Year |
Title |
Peak |
| 1967 |
"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" |
9 |
| 1967 |
"Respect "Respect" is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. "Respect" became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The music in the two versions is significantly different, and through a few minor changes in the lyrics, the stories told...
" |
1 |
| 1967 |
"Baby I Love You "Baby I Love You" is a popular song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. It was the only single release from her Aretha Arrives album in 1967, the song was a huge hit. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spent two weeks at number-one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart...
" |
4 |
| 1967 |
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman " A Natural Woman" is a 1967 single released by American soul singer Aretha Franklin on the Atlantic label. The record was a big hit for Franklin, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a standard song for her...
" |
8 |
| 1967 |
"Chain of Fools "Chain of Fools" is a song written by Don Covay. Aretha Franklin first released the song as a single in 1967 and subsequently it appeared on many of her albums. It reached number one on the U.S...
" |
2 |
| 1968 |
"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone " Since You've Been Gone" is a classic song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. Released from her Lady Soul album in 1968, the song was successful, debuting at #32 on the Hot 100, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spent three weeks at #1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart...
" |
5 |
| 1968 |
"Think" |
7 |
| 1968 |
"The House That Jack Built" |
6 |
| 1968 |
"I Say a Little Prayer "I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967.-Background:...
" |
10 |
| 1971 |
"Bridge Over Troubled Water "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's album of the same name. The single was released on January 26, 1970, though it also appears on the live album Live 1969, released in 2008. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970, and stayed at...
" / "Brand New Me" |
6 |
| 1971 |
"Spanish Harlem "Spanish Harlem" is a song released by Ben E. King in 1960 on Atco Records, written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller...
" |
2 |
| 1971 |
"Rock Steady "Rock Steady" is a song written and performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1971, from the album Young, Gifted and Black. The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart...
" |
9 |
| 1972 |
"Day Dreaming" |
5 |
| 1973 |
"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) "Until You Come Back to Me " is the name of a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version did not appear on an album until 1977's Anthology...
" |
3 |
| 1985 |
"Freeway of Love "Freeway of Love" is a Grammy Award-winning song released as the first single from Aretha Franklin's 1985 album Who's Zoomin' Who?. It was very successful in the United States, peaking at the #3 position of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and topping the Hot R&B Singles chart for five weeks . It went...
" |
3 |
| 1985 |
"Who's Zoomin' Who "Who's Zoomin' Who" is a single performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1985, from the album of the same name. It was the follow-up single to Aretha's chart-topping smash "Freeway of Love." The song reached the #7 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the...
" |
7 |
| 1987 |
"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) "I Knew You Were Waiting " is a song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.-Music video:...
" (with George Michael) |
1 |
Source:
All no. 1 hits in US R&B 100 singles
| Year |
Title |
Peak |
| 1967 |
"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" |
1 |
| 1967 |
"Respect "Respect" is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. "Respect" became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The music in the two versions is significantly different, and through a few minor changes in the lyrics, the stories told...
" |
1 |
| 1967 |
"Baby I Love You "Baby I Love You" is a popular song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. It was the only single release from her Aretha Arrives album in 1967, the song was a huge hit. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spent two weeks at number-one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart...
" |
1 |
| 1967 |
"Chain of Fools "Chain of Fools" is a song written by Don Covay. Aretha Franklin first released the song as a single in 1967 and subsequently it appeared on many of her albums. It reached number one on the U.S...
" |
1 |
| 1968 |
"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone " Since You've Been Gone" is a classic song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. Released from her Lady Soul album in 1968, the song was successful, debuting at #32 on the Hot 100, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spent three weeks at #1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart...
" |
1 |
| 1968 |
"Think" |
1 |
| 1969 |
"Share Your Love with Me Aretha Franklin recorded the most successful version of the song for her 1970 album, This Girl's in Love with You. Her single spent five weeks at number-one on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart and peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. ....
" |
1 |
| 1970 |
"Call Me "Call Me" is a song recorded and written by American Soul singer Aretha Franklin. The song was co-produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin. Franklin came up with the idea for the song after she saw a young couple engaged in deep conversation on New York's Park Avenue. Before they parted,...
" |
1 |
| 1970 |
"Don't Play That Song (You Lied) "Don't Play That Song " is a song written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson and first recorded by soul singer Ben E. King. The title track on King's third album Don't Play That Song, it reached #2 on the U.S...
" |
1 |
| 1971 |
"Bridge Over Troubled Water "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's album of the same name. The single was released on January 26, 1970, though it also appears on the live album Live 1969, released in 2008. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970, and stayed at...
" / "Brand New Me" |
1 |
| 1971 |
"Spanish Harlem "Spanish Harlem" is a song released by Ben E. King in 1960 on Atco Records, written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller...
" |
1 |
| 1972 |
"Day Dreaming" |
1 |
| 1973 |
"Angel "Angel" is a soul ballad recorded by American singer Aretha Franklin. The song was co-written by Aretha's sister, Carolyn, and Sonny Saunders. Aretha co-produced the song with Quincy Jones and it originally appeared on Aretha's 1973 album "Hey Now Hey "...
" |
1 |
| 1973 |
"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) "Until You Come Back to Me " is the name of a song written by Morris Broadnax, Clarence Paul, and Stevie Wonder. The song was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, but his version did not appear on an album until 1977's Anthology...
" |
1 |
| 1974 |
"I'm in Love" |
1 |
| 1976 |
"Something He Can Feel" |
1 |
| 1977 |
"Break It to Me Gently "Break It to Me Gently" is a song written by Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch which was an R&B hit for Aretha Franklin in 1977. Released from the Sweet Passion album, it reached #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart in June, 1977. The song's success was only faintly reflected on on the Billboard...
" |
1 |
| 1982 |
"Jump to It "Jump to It" is the title track from Aretha Franklin's chart-topping, Gold-certified 1982 album, produced by the late Luther Vandross. The song was written by Vandross and Marcus Miller and features background vocals performed by Vandross and Cissy Houston. The single was a major success, holding...
" |
1 |
| 1983 |
"Get It Right "Get It Right" is a song written by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller which was an R&B hit for Aretha Franklin in 1983. Released from the album of the same title, it reached number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in August 1983 and peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single reached...
" |
1 |
| 1985 |
"Freeway of Love "Freeway of Love" is a Grammy Award-winning song released as the first single from Aretha Franklin's 1985 album Who's Zoomin' Who?. It was very successful in the United States, peaking at the #3 position of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and topping the Hot R&B Singles chart for five weeks . It went...
" |
1 |
Source:
Movies
- Cooley High
Cooley High is a 1975 American film based upon the real high school located on the near north side of Chicago produced and released by American International Pictures and written by Eric Monte...
(1975)
- The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
(1980)
- Motown 40: The Music Is Forever (1998) (ABC-TV documentary)
- Blues Brothers 2000
Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. Directed by John Landis, the film featured Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameos by many musicians.-Plot:...
(1998)
- DIVAS LIVE (1998)
- Immaculate Funk (2000) (documentary)
- Rhythm, Love and Soul (2002)
- Tom Dowd & the Language of Music (2003) (documentary)
- Singing in the Shadow: The Children of Rock Royalty (2003) (documentary)
- From The Heart / The Four Tops 50th Anniversary and Celebration (2004)
- Atlantic Records: The House that Ahmet Built (2007) (documentary)
Television
- The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that aired in syndication from 1961 to 1982, distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations.The program featured light banter with...
- In 1972, she had a role in the TV show Room 222
Room 222 is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series aired on ABC from September 17, 1969, to January 11, 1974, for 112 episodes...
- Solid Gold
Solid Gold is an American syndicated music television series that debuted on September 13, 1980. Like many other shows of its genre, such as American Bandstand, Solid Gold featured musical performances and various other elements such as music videos...
(numerous appearances with the last in 1982 performing "Jump To It")
- Kelly & Company (Marilyn Turner and John Kelly, Detroit)
- Dayna (Dayna Eubanks, fomer Detroit newscaster)
- Rolonda Show (Rolonda Watts
Rolonda Watts is an American actress, producer, voice over artist, novelist, motivational speaker, and television and radio talk show host. She was the host of eponymous Rolonda, an internationally-syndicated talk show which aired from 1994 to 1998...
)
- The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
(numerous appearances including Oprah's 40th birthday, with Patti LaBellePatricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
and Gladys KnightGladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
)
- Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
(numerous appearances)
- The View
External links
- Aretha Franklin at Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
- Aretha Franklin at NPR Music
NPR Music launched in November 2007 to present public radio music programming and original editorial content for music discovery. The Web site is a project of National Public Radio, a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to 797...