Aretha Franklin

Who Was Aretha Franklin?

Aretha Franklin was a remarkable singer and pianist whose career spanned several decades, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry. She initially toured with her father’s traveling revival show before moving to New York, where she signed with Columbia Records. Throughout her career, Franklin released numerous popular singles, many of which are now regarded as classics. In 1987, she made history as the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and by 2008, she had won her 18th Grammy Award, solidifying her status as one of the most honored artists in Grammy history.

Early Life and Career

Born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha Louise Franklin was the fourth of five children born to Reverend Clarence La Vaughan “C. L.” Franklin, a Baptist preacher, and Barbara Siggers Franklin, a gospel singer. After her parents’ separation when she was six, her mother passed away from a heart attack four years later. The family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where C. L. gained national prominence as a preacher at New Bethel Baptist Church.

Aretha’s musical talent emerged early, as she was largely self-taught and recognized as a child prodigy. A gifted pianist with a powerful voice, she began singing in her father’s church. By age 14, she recorded her first tracks at the church, which were released by a small label as the album Songs of Faith in 1956. During this time, she also performed with C. L.’s traveling revival show, meeting gospel legends such as Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke, and Clara Ward.

Children

At the age of 12, Franklin became a mother for the first time, giving birth to her son, Clarence. Two years later, she had another son, Edward. Both sons took her family name. She later had two more sons: Ted White Jr. and Kecalf Cunningham.

Albums and Songs

Aretha

After a brief hiatus, Franklin returned to the music scene, following in the footsteps of her musical heroes like Cooke and Dinah Washington into pop and blues genres. In 1960, with her father’s support, Franklin moved to New York. After being courted by several labels, she signed with Columbia Records, which released her debut album, Aretha, in 1961.

While two tracks from Aretha reached the R&B Top 10, her single “Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody” achieved greater success, peaking at No. 37 on the pop charts. Despite some moderate success over the next few years, Franklin felt that her recordings did not fully capture her immense talent. In 1966, she and her new husband and manager, Ted White, decided to switch labels, signing with Atlantic Records. Producer Jerry Wexler promptly took her to the Florence Alabama Musical Emporium (FAME) recording studios.

“I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)”

Backed by the renowned Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Franklin recorded the iconic single “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).” During the recording sessions, tensions arose between White and a band member, prompting both Franklin and White to leave abruptly. However, as the single became a massive Top 10 hit, Franklin returned to New York to complete the partially recorded track “Do Right Woman—Do Right Man.”

Respect

In 1967 and 1968, Franklin entered a prolific period, releasing a string of hit singles that showcased her powerful voice and gospel roots within a pop framework. Her album I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) was released in 1967, featuring the groundbreaking track “Respect,” a powerful cover of an Otis Redding song that reached No. 1 on both the R&B and pop charts. This hit earned Franklin her first two Grammy Awards.

She also enjoyed success with other Top 10 hits such as “Baby I Love You,” “Think,” “Chain of Fools,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

Dubbed the ‘Queen of Soul’

Franklin’s dominance on the charts earned her the title of “Queen of Soul,” and she became a symbol of Black empowerment during the civil rights movement. In 1968, she was invited to perform at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral, paying tribute to her father’s friend with a moving rendition of “Precious Lord.” Later that year, she sang the national anthem to open the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Despite experiencing personal upheaval, including her divorce from White in 1969, Franklin’s career continued to flourish. The following decade brought more hit singles, including “Don’t Play That Song,” “Spanish Harlem,” and her rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”

Amazing Grace

Motivated by the passing of Mahalia Jackson and the subsequent revival of interest in gospel music, Aretha Franklin returned to her roots with the 1972 album Amazing Grace. This landmark record sold over 2 million copies and became the best-selling gospel album of its time.

Franklin’s success continued throughout the 1970s as she collaborated with renowned producers such as Curtis Mayfield and Quincy Jones, diversifying her repertoire to include rock and pop covers. During this period, she garnered an impressive eight consecutive Grammy Awards for Best R&B Female Vocal Performance, with the last awarded for her 1974 single “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.”

Career Struggles

However, by 1975, Franklin’s sound began to lose prominence amidst the rising disco craze, as younger Black artists like Chaka Khan and Donna Summer started to overshadow her career. Despite these challenges, she found a brief resurgence with the 1976 soundtrack to the Warner Brothers film Sparkle, which topped the R&B charts and reached the Top 20 in pop. Additionally, she received an invitation to perform at Jimmy Carter’s presidential inauguration in 1977. That same year, Franklin married actor Glynn Turman.

A series of chart failures led to the end of her relationship with Atlantic Records in 1979. Compounding her difficulties, her father was hospitalized following a burglary attempt that left him in a coma, and Franklin was confronted with significant IRS debts.

In a pivotal moment for her career, Franklin made a cameo in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, where she performed “Think.” This exposure introduced her to a new generation of R&B fans, leading to a contract with Arista Records.

Under her new label, she released Jump To It in 1982, which achieved great success on the R&B charts and earned her a Grammy nomination. However, Franklin faced personal turmoil as she went through a divorce from Turman and dealt with the death of her father shortly thereafter.

More Albums and Songs: 1980s and On

In 1985, Franklin made a triumphant return to the charts with the successful album Who’s Zoomin’ Who?, which featured the hit single “Freeway of Love” and a collaboration with the Eurythmics. This album became her best-selling release to date.

Her subsequent album, Aretha (1986), also performed well, achieving gold status, and the duet with British singer George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” topped the pop charts.

In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Detroit. She also released the album One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which won the Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance.

Following another relatively quiet period, Franklin sang at Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993, and the next year, she received both a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and Kennedy Center Honors. Throughout the decade, she was celebrated in numerous documentaries and tributes.

‘A Rose Is Still a Rose’

As the 1990s drew to a close, Franklin reprised her role in Blues Brothers 2000, released the gold-selling single “A Rose Is Still a Rose,” and delivered a celebrated rendition of “Nessun Dorma” at Luciano Pavarotti’s Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony.

‘So Damn Happy’

In 2003, Franklin released her final studio album with Arista, So Damn Happy, before founding her own label, Aretha Records. Two years later, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, becoming the second woman ever inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

In 2008, she received her 18th Grammy Award for “Never Gonna Break My Faith,” a collaboration with Mary J. Blige, and was invited to perform at Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration in 2009.

With 18 Grammys to her name, Franklin ranks among the most honored artists in Grammy history, alongside luminaries like Alison Krauss, Adele, and Beyoncé Knowles. In 2011, she released her first album on her own label, A Woman Falling Out of Love.

To promote this project, she performed several concerts, including a two-night engagement at the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Her performances received acclaim from fans and critics alike, affirming her status as the undisputed Queen of Soul.

Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics

In 2014, Aretha Franklin reinforced her status as a music legend with the release of Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, an album that achieved significant commercial success, reaching No. 13 on the pop charts and No. 3 on the R&B charts.

In February 2017, at the age of 74, Franklin announced in an interview with Detroit radio station WDIV Local 4 that she was working with Stevie Wonder on a new album. During the conversation, she revealed, “I must tell you, I am retiring this year. I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from and where it is now. I’ll be pretty much satisfied, but I’m not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing. That wouldn’t be good either.”

Death

On August 12, 2018, reports emerged indicating that Franklin was gravely ill and bedridden at her home in Detroit, surrounded by family and friends. As news of her condition circulated, several notable figures, including Stevie Wonder and Jesse Jackson, visited to offer their well-wishes.

Tragically, on the morning of August 16, Franklin passed away due to pancreatic cancer, a diagnosis revealed by her family.

Later that month, a public viewing was held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, where fans camped overnight for the opportunity to pay their respects to the iconic singer. Her televised funeral was scheduled for August 31 at Greater Grace Temple, featuring performances by Wonder, Chaka Khan, and Jennifer Hudson, alongside speakers such as Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, and Smokey Robinson.

Movie

In January 2018, it was announced that Franklin had personally chosen Jennifer Hudson to portray her in an upcoming biopic. Despite several delays, Respect is set to be released on August 13, 2021.