Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin 

Aretha Franklin is a well-known pop-soul singer, songwriter, and pianist. She has many popular songs through the years and is a legend in the music industry. She is a multiple Grammy winner and known as the "Queen of Soul." She started in the music industry by going on tour with her father, then later released several singles of her own that became big names in soul. She became the first female artist to be put in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Life before fame

Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and soon after moved to Buffalo, New York, and later Detroit Michigan. Her father, Clarence L. Franklin, was a Baptist preacher and her mother was a gospel singer, however, at age six, her parents separated, and at age ten, her mother died of a heart attack. She had 4 siblings and her father raised them after their mother’s death. Her father was a prominent civil rights activist and a figure in gospel singing. It was because of him that Franklin began to pursue music at a young age, and was able to foresee a future in gospel music. She began to sing and play piano by ear at a young age. As a teen, she traveled with her father in a junior choir for their church. While traveling, she and her family met Sam Cooke, a legendary soul artist, and this was what inspired her to pursue music outside of church. 

As a teen, Franklin gave birth to two boys, who were taken care of by her grandmother and older sisters. Despite being a teen mom, she continued to pursue music and her father acted as her manager as she produced gospel singles for a small local record label. Her father thought that she could do better with a bigger, national record company. She gathered a small group of musicians and auditioned for Columbia Records. The head of the record company was impressed with her audition, and at age 18, she signed on with one of the biggest recording companies in the world. 

Life after fame

After signing on with Columbia, Franklin’s songs began to hit the billboards almost immediately. Columbia had her singing more jazz and pop, and her first single, "Today I Sing the Blues", was in the top ten for billboards rhythm and blues section in 1960. Her first album reached Billboard’s top 40, and as she continued to produce music, her songs and albums continuously reached the charts throughout the 60’s.

She married Ted White in 1961, her manager also from Detroit, and had two more children in later years. In 1967, Franklin changed from Columbia to Atlantic because Columbia was failing to produce rock hits for her, which, at the time, were the songs that were hitting the billboards, while pop and soul were getting much less attention. In 1965, Franklin released her version of the song “Respect”, originally written by Otis Redding, which quickly became her most popular song ever, earning her two Grammys. Her first two albums with Atlantic quickly became her most popular ones yet, along with three hit singles. 

In 1969, she divorced her husband, Ted white, and also dropped him as her manager, becoming fully in charge of her own career; going back to her gospel roots, she recorded her most popular album "Amazing Grace", selling over 2 million copies, making it the best selling gospel album of all time. She later remarried Glynn Turnman in 1978, and then divorced in 1982. In 1979, she switched from Atlantic records over to Arista records. 

In 1979, C. L. Franklin, Aretha’s father, was shot in a home burglary and was in a coma for five years, before passing away without regaining consciousness. In 1980, she performed her hit song "Think" in the popular movie "The Blues Brothers". In 1985, she became the first ever woman introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was honored with both a Grammy Legend award and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017, she gave her final performance at the 15th annual Elton John Aids Foundation gala, and in 2018 died due to cancer. 

Music

Starting with her first singles released in the 50s, to her last album in 2014, Aretha Franklin’s legendary music transformed the industry forever. 

Starting with her first single for Columbia making the top ten in the R&B category, "Today I Sing the Blues" was the start for a timeless artist in 1960.

"Aretha", Franklin’s first album, released in 1961, had two songs that reached the top 40. 

By the mid-60’s she had became known as the "Queen of Soul" 

"I Never Loved A Man", her first single for Atlantic hit the top 100, and the name later became the name of an album 

In 1967, the album "I Never Loved A Man" was released, with her timeless cover of Respect. The song received some lash back, however, when sung by a woman, it became much more popular than the original. It won two Grammys and was number one on both the Rhythm and blues, and pop charts. 

She had four other top 10 songs: "Baby I Love You", "Think", "Chain of Fools", "I Say a Little Prayer", "Since You’ve Been Gone" and "A Natural Woman".

Her top album, "Amazing Grace" sold over 2 million copies, and was the most popular gospel album of all time, released in 1972.

After a rough few years with her father’s death and much less attention than in previous years, she had a successful album "Jump to it" in 1982

In 1985, she released a hit pop album "Who’s Zoomin Who?"

"I Knew You Were Waiting" (song) hit number one, featuring George Micheal. 

In 2008, she received her 18th Grammy for "So Damn Happy" 

In 2011, she released her first album on her own label "A Woman Falling Out of Love"

Her last album was released in 2014, "Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics"

Activism

Throughout her life, Aretha Franklin played a role in both The civil and womens rights movements, Through both her songs and her platform. Her father was a prominent civil rights activist, he organized a march for freedom in Detroit in 1963, before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s march on Washington. One of Franklin’s most notable contributions to the civil and women's rights movements was her release of the song Respect, which became a hymn for both the civil and women's rights movements. She went on tour with Martin Luther King Jr. and Harry Belafonte, did 11 concerts for free, and did fundraisers for the Jesse Jackson presidential campaign. After King’s death, Franklin performed “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” At King’s funeral. Soon after, she performed the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention and sang at President Obama's inauguration. Franklin also played a huge role in the civil rights movement apart from her music; she offered post-bail for activist Angela Davis, in order to advocate for black liberation. 

Why a hero?

Aretha Franklin played a huge role in the history of gospel, soul, and pop, as well as revolutionizing the music industry for women in all genres of music. Her work inspired and brought joy to millions of people. Despite the hardships she faced early in her life, she paved the way for many female artists to come and rightfully earned the title “The Queen of Soul”. She played a meaningful role in the civil rights movement and was a hero in many ways throughout her life, and will be remembered as such. 

Bibliography 

Aretha Franklin: Biography, Singer, Queen of Soul, Grammy Winner

Aretha Franklin | Academy of Achievement 

Aretha Franklin | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 

Aretha Franklin Had an Impact on the Civil Rights Movement | TIME