[163] During a phone interview with the Associated Press in late August 2013, Franklin stated that she had had a "miraculous" recovery from her undisclosed illness but had to cancel shows and appearances until her health was at 100%, estimating she was about "85% healed". As a civil-rights-minded nation lent greater support to black urban music, Franklin was crowned the Queen of Soul. Respect, her 1967 cover of Otis Reddings spirited composition, became an anthem operating on personal, sexual, and racial levels. She moved to New York City, where Columbia Records executive John Hammond, who had signed Count Basie and Billie Holiday, arranged her recording contract and supervised sessions highlighting her in a blues-jazz vein. For other uses, see. At the time of its release, Franklin who died in 2018 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76 was married to her first husband Ted White, who also became her manager. On January 20, 2009, Franklin made international headlines for performing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at President Barack Obama's inaugural ceremony with her church hat becoming a popular topic online. "Precious Lord (Part One)" backed with "Precious Lord (Part Two)" followed in 1959. She had initially been asked to perform in honor of the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, in which she appeared with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Despite making several albums, she never achieved solo success. She had pancreatic cancer. 'Respect' is as precise an artifact as a Ming vase. [121], Franklin was also a strong supporter of Native American rights. "[59] Franklin's debut Atlantic album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, also became commercially successful, later going gold. She denied that the ailment had anything to do with pancreatic cancer, as had been reported. [40] The Atlantic days would lead to a series of hits for Aretha Franklin from 1967 to early 1972; her rapport with Wexler helped in the creation of the majority of her peak recordings with Atlantic. [116], In 2015, President Barack Obama wrote the following regarding Franklin:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R. & B., rock and rollthe way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. [23][24] Ward was romantically involved with Aretha's father from around 1949 to Ward's death in 1973, though Aretha "preferred to view them strictly as friends". [117], From her time growing up in the home of a prominent African-American preacher to the end of her life, Franklin was immersed and involved in the struggle for civil rights and women's rights. [126] Both children took her family name. Critics recognized her talent, but the public remained lukewarm until 1966, when she switched to Atlantic Records, where producer Jerry Wexler allowed her to sculpt her own musical identity. But in 1982, with help from singer-songwriter-producer Luther Vandross, she was back on top with a new label, Arista, and a new dance hit, Jump to It, followed by Freeway of Love (1985). The singer's first three wills were written by hand, at his above barely legible, and . Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Clarence LaVaughan 'C.L.' Franklin and Barbara Siggers Franklin. [237] The season, starring Cynthia Erivo as Franklin, was aired in March 2021. [56] Franklin scored two additional top-ten singles in 1967, "Baby I Love You" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". [17] Several women, including Aretha's grandmother, Rachel, and Mahalia Jackson, took turns helping with the children at the Franklin home. [76] "Davis was beguiling and had the golden touch", according to Rolling Stone. [128] Her third child, Ted White Jr., was born to Franklin and her husband Theodore "Ted" White in February 1964 and is known professionally as Teddy Richards. At age 18, with her fathers blessing, Franklin switched from sacred to secular music. Aretha's granddaughter, Grace Franklin, posted a TikTok on March 13, showing herself. In June 1946, he became pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church, but before that he was a pastor in Memphis, Tennessee. [200], In 2010 Franklin was ranked first on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time"[7] and ninth on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [41] During this period, Franklin would be coached by choreographer Cholly Atkins to prepare for her pop performances. He earned thousands of dollars for sermons in various churches across the country. After 1988, "Franklin never again had huge hits", according to Rolling Stone. Seated behind the piano, wearing a black fur coat and Lions stocking cap, Franklin gave a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that lasted more than four minutes and featured a host of improvisations. She was the 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year, performing at the Grammys days later. [180] The August 31 Homegoing Service held at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, included multiple tributes by celebrities, politicians, friends and family members and was streamed by some news agencies[181] such as Fox News, CNN, The Word Network, BET and MSNBC. [144] Franklin had to cancel plans to perform at Whitney Houston's memorial service on February 18, 2012, due to a leg spasm. From that first session, Today I Sing the Blues (1960) remains a classic. In 1987, Franklin performed "America the Beautiful" at WWE's Wrestlemania III; one source states that "to this day her WrestleMania III performance might be the most memorable" of the event openers by many artists.[83]. In 1960 she moved to New York City to pursue a career in secular music. A reluctant interviewee, Franklin kept her private life private, claiming that the popular perception associating her with the unhappiness of singers Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday was misinformed. For the next half-dozen years, she became a hit maker of unprecedented proportions; she was Lady Soul.. He recorded dozens of his sermons and made a reported $4,000 per appearance. Aretha Franklin died of advanced pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018, in Detroit, Michigan. See an exhibit on Aretha Franklin, and the Janis Joplin's famous psychedelic 1965 Porsche at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. While Franklin was pursuing her singing career and "hanging out with [friends]", her grandmother Rachel and sister Erma took turns raising her children. wasnt his biological father until 1951). The problem has been resolved". On November 18, 2008, she performed "Respect" and "Chain of Fools" at Dancing with the Stars. The album of the same name was released after the single. There were plans for her to record an album produced by Danger Mouse, who was replaced with Babyface and Don Was when Danger Mouse left the project. Franklin had four children, Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, Ted White Jr. (known professionally as Teddy Richards) and Kecalf Cunningham. Both stations were originally named after other people. ARETHA Franklin was one of the greatest female singer songwriters of all time - known for her enduring legacy, music and activism. Franklins entire family also supported her both personally and professionally, standing by her as she achieved worldwide fame while raising children and going through two divorces. Her father was a Baptist preacher, while her mother was a gospel singer. [201] Following news of Franklin's surgery and recovery in February 2011, the Grammys ceremony paid tribute to the singer with a medley of her classics performed by Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, and Yolanda Adams. "[104] Franklin later recalled the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors as one of the best nights of her life. [61] On February 16, Franklin was honored with a day named for her and was greeted by longtime friend Martin Luther King Jr., who gave her the SCLC Drum Beat Award for Musicians two months before his death. Not much else is known about him, except that he died in 1989 of a heart attack. [122] She quietly and without fanfare supported Indigenous peoples' struggles worldwide, and numerous movements that supported Native American and First Nation cultural rights. Franklin, presided over the New Bethel Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan, and was a minister of national influence. [38] Also important was James Cleveland, known as the King of Gospel music, "who helped to focus her early career as a gospel singer"; Cleveland had been recruited by her father as a pianist for the Southern California Community Choir. These four tracks, with the addition of "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood", were released on side one of the 1956 album, Spirituals. [18][28] When Franklin was 12, her father began managing her; he would take her on the road with him, during his "gospel caravan" tours for her to perform in various churches. Not only did she rarely . Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Her family had to pay seven years worth of Franklin's unpaid taxes almost 6million after her demise. She died of a heart attack in 1952, at the age of 34. [77][78] Franklin's first Arista album, Aretha (1980), featured the number-three R&B hit "United Together" and her Grammy-nominated cover of Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose". After her death, her family released a statement, saying in part, "We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. All Aretha Franklin's family is asking is for a little respect from the makers of "Genius: Aretha," National Geographic's recently released biographical series . [9], Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, to Barbara (ne Siggers) and Clarence LaVaughn "C. L." Franklin. adopted (Vaughn didnt learn C.L. "[40], Also in 1980, Franklin gave a command performance at London's Royal Albert Hall in front of Queen Elizabeth. Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist. [18] During this time, Aretha learned how to play piano by ear. A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul", "Tyler Perry to Host Aretha Franklin Tribute Special for CBS, Recording Academy", "Aretha Franklin Tribute Concert Lines Up Janelle Monae, Alicia Keys, John Legend", "Aretha Franklin honored with star-studded tribute concert", "TV Review: 'Aretha! She finally received recognition for her recording of Piece of My Heart when Levis used it for a commercial. [92] In February 2006 she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" with Aaron Neville and Dr. John for Super Bowl XL, held in her hometown of Detroit.[93]. [193] The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded her a Grammy Legend Award in 1991, then the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. Before the year was out, Franklin scored her first with her hit-single rendition of the standard "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody". The last time she sang the aria live was for Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015. Among the visitors were gospel musicians Clara Ward, James Cleveland, and early Caravans members Albertina Walker and Inez Andrews. [51], Franklin was the mother of four sons. [79] The following year, she released "Get It Right", produced by Luther Vandross.[80]. [88], That same year, Franklin received global praise after her 1998 Grammy Awards performance. Alternate titles: Aretha Louise Franklin, Queen of Soul. [190][191], Franklin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979, had her voice declared a Michigan "natural resource" in 1985,[192] and became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He was the first preacher to join the gospel tour in 1953, and he formed his own group, C.L. [118] When Angela Davis was jailed in 1970, Franklin told Jet: "Angela Davis must go free Black people will be free. She and Aretha performed together in the 1980s and 90s. She was delivered at her family's home located at 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. "Respect" became her signature song and was later hailed as a civil rights and feminist anthem. What are some of Aretha Franklins most famous songs? Her album The Gospel Sound of Aretha Franklin (1956) captures the electricity of her performances as a 14-year-old. The Queen of Soul largely avoided keeping her. People wont let me out of [Arethas] shadow and I think thats wrong, she once said in an interview. American history wells up when Aretha sings. Records. She launched a multi-city tour in mid-2014, starting with a performance on June 14 in New York at Radio City Music Hall. Jasper Williams under fire for remarks during Aretha Franklin's funeral", Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do), The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin, Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington, List of awards and nominations received by Aretha Franklin, "Aretha Franklin's Estate Is Worth $80 Million. [60] In 1968, Franklin issued the top-selling albums Lady Soul and Aretha Now, which included some of her most popular hit singles, including "Chain of Fools", "Ain't No Way", "Think", and "I Say a Little Prayer". Franklin, encouraged their musical endeavors. [153] She admitted in 1994 that her smoking was "messing with my voice",[154] but after quitting smoking she said later, in 2003, that her weight "ballooned". "Genius: Aretha" has delved deep into the Franklin family's dramatic past, including depictions of alleged domestic violence from the musician's ex-husband Ted White and C.L.'s alleged sexual. [105] Franklin released the album A Brand New Me in November 2017 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which uses archived recordings from Franklin. [53], Producer Jerry Wexler convinced her to move to Atlantic Records. After Aretha Franklin's family revealed that they were not consulted for the TV series "Genius: Aretha" starring Cynthia Erivo, Sangita Patel and Graeme O'Ne. [46] By the end of 1961, Franklin was named as a "new-star female vocalist" in DownBeat magazine. [85] In 1990, she sang "I Want to Be Happy", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", and "Someone Else's Eyes" at the MDA Labor Day Telethon. Raised without her mother, she was a gospel prodigy who gave birth to two sons in her teens and left them and her native Detroit for New York, where she struggled to find her true voice. Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, to Barbara (ne Siggers) and Clarence LaVaughn "C. L." Franklin. Franklin achieved a gold recordfor the first time in seven yearswith the 1982 album Jump to It. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [91] To complete her Arista obligations, Franklin issued the duets compilation album Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen in 2007. With a legendary career spanning several generations and a multitude of genres, Aretha Franklin earned her title, "The Queen of Soul." Beloved by musicians and listeners alike, Aretha is recognized as the most successful female recording artist in history with 112 charted singles on Billboard, 18 Grammy Awards, and over 75 million records sold. [43], In November 1966, Franklin's Columbia recording contract expired; at that time, she owed the company money because record sales had not met expectations. Franklin's mother, Barbara, was a gospel singer and pianist. Aretha's father, Reverend C.L. Musicians and professionals alike such as Elton John, Keith Richards, Carole King, and Clive Davis were fans of her piano performances. [32], During this time, Franklin would occasionally travel with the Soul Stirrers. Aretha's family claims that the team behind Genius: Aretha did not involve them in production. She first became pregnant at the age of 12 and gave birth to her first child, named Clarence after her father,[123] on January 28, 1955. [43][57] The song was released the following month and reached number one on the R&B chart, while also peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Franklin her first top-ten pop single. [68] After being cleared of wrongdoing, Jones subsequently enjoyed a brief career of her own, during which she was herself the subject of an impersonation. Aretha Franklin, whose gospel-rooted singing and bluesy yet expansive delivery earned her the title "the Queen of Soul," has died, a family statement said Thursday. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) pays tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, in three shows starting Friday, April 21 - and running through Sunday, April 23. . The oldest child of C.L. Like Erma, Carolyn was also a singer who contributed background vocals to Arethas tracks, but didnt achieve the same level of success despite her significant talents. In March 1969, Franklin was unanimously voted winner of Acadmie du Jazz's R&B award, Prix Otis Redding, for her albums Lady Soul, Aretha Now, and Aretha in Paris. In 2010, Franklin accepted an honorary degree from Yale University. Following an incident in 1984, she cited a fear of flying that prevented her from traveling overseas; she performed only in North America afterwards. [127] Franklin would visit them often. Her first son Clarence was born in 1955. All her children appear to have followed in her musical footsteps in some capacity. ARETHA is a powerful memoir, live on stage, that celebrates the life and music of one of the greatest voices in history. [152] A former chain smoker who struggled with alcoholism, she quit smoking in 1992. [98], In December 2015, Franklin gave an acclaimed performance of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors during the section for honoree Carole King, who co-wrote the song. [94] On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year, and performed "Never Gonna Break My Faith", which had won her the Grammy for best Gospel performance[95] the year before. How did Aretha Franklin start her career in music? He did everything in his power to encourage that ambition. ; however, she denied that she had undergone weight-loss surgery. In 2005 Franklin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for revolutionizing music and helping to shape our Nations artistic and cultural heritage. Today she is widely considered the Queen of Soul.. [33] As a young gospel singer, Franklin spent summers on the gospel circuit in Chicago and stayed with Mavis Staples' family. Although she was born in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha Franklin spent most of her early years in Detroit, Michigan, with her mother, a gospel singer, and her father, a Baptist minister. [119][120] Franklin and several other American icons declined to take part in performing at President Donald Trump's 2017 inauguration as a mass act of musical protest. [159] Further concert cancellations followed in the summer[160][161][162] and fall. [212][213] After working with the artist for nearly four decades, Clive Davis, said that Aretha "understood the essence of both language and melody and was able to take it to a place very fewif anycould". [206][207] Asteroid 249516 Aretha was named in her honor in 2014. I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You) (1967), recorded at Fame Studios in Florence, Alabama, was her first million-seller. In the early 1970s she triumphed at the Fillmore West in San Francisco before an audience of flower children and on whirlwind tours of Europe and Latin America. Erma married young and had her first child (one of two) at age 16. In 1974, she lost 40 pounds (18kg) on a very-low-calorie diet[150] and maintained her new weight until the end of the decade. Arethas mother was a piano player and singer who inspired her daughter. Franklin's lawyers contacted Florida authorities and uncovered a coercive scheme in which the singer, Vickie Jones, had been threatened with violence and constrained into impersonating her idol, whom she resembled closely both in voice and looks. [40], She returned to Detroit's Ford Field on Thanksgiving Day 2016 to once again perform the national anthem before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Franklin's final top 40 single was 1998's "A Rose Is Still a Rose". In 2004, Franklin announced that she was leaving Arista after more than 20 years with the label. C. L. Franklin, 69, Dies After 5 Years in Coma", "Aretha Talks About Men, Marriage, Music & Motherhood", "Aretha Franklin Returns With Soulful CD, 'So Damn Happy', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aretha_Franklin&oldid=1149299682, This page was last edited on 11 April 2023, at 10:57. [67] That year, Franklin was the subject of a criminal impersonation scheme. [84] That recording reached number 26 on the Hot 100 and number five on the R&B chart. Franklin's parents separated by the time she was six, and four years later her mother succumbed to a heart attack. The album sold well over a million copies thanks to the hits "Freeway of Love", the title track, and "Another Night". [40], In April 2021, Aretha Franklin was featured in National Geographic magazine and in the previous month, the society began airing the third season of the television series Genius about her life and career. Chicago Concert Reviews", "Elton John Celebrates 25 Years of His Foundation With Help From Bill Clinton, Aretha Franklin & Neil Patrick Harris", "The voice was incredible, but Aretha Franklin at the piano was also pure magic", "The Special Bond Between Aretha Franklin and Barack Obama", "Aretha Franklin Had a Huge Impact on the Civil Rights Movement", "Aretha Franklin, Civil Rights Stalwart: 'In Her Voice, We Could Feel Our History', "Aretha Franklin's History with Civil Rights, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Barack Obama", "Suzan Shown Harjo: Remembering a moment in time with the late Aretha Franklin", "Aretha Franklin's handwritten wills, if real, shed light on a titanic and complicated life", "Orgies, Attitudes And Anxieties: Biographer Paints Different Portrait Of Aretha Franklin", "Sam Cooke's Brother, Charles, Is Shot In Detroit", "Aretha Franklin's 'Forever Friend' Willie Wilkerson Dies of COVID-19 at 72", "Aretha Franklin to get married this summer | Celebrity Buzz", "Aretha Franklin Talks Turning 70 Years Old, Shares Update on Her Health", "Aretha Franklin Talks Faith, Miraculous Healing", "Why Aretha Franklin's legacy is inspiring others to write gospel music for the masses", "Aretha Franklin Plays the Longest National Anthem In U.S. History", "Aretha Franklin Sets The Record Straight On Her Health: 'I Don't Know Where Pancreatic Cancer Came From', "Aretha Franklin Has Died of Pancreatic Cancer: A Look at Her Health Over the Last Decade", "Aretha Franklin cancels 2 shows for undisclosed ailment", "Aretha Franklin taking June off, postponing shows", "Aretha Franklin cancels hometown show citing treatment", "Aretha Franklin not attending baseball luncheon", "Aretha Franklin Cancels September Show, Sparking Concerns Over Her Health", "Aretha Franklin happily sheds weight, embraces future", "Aretha Franklin Announces Retirement, Final Album", "Aretha Franklin said to be 'seriously ill', "Aretha Franklin 'gravely ill' in Detroit", "Stevie Wonder Visits Aretha Franklin As 'Queen of Soul' Rests in Hospice Care", "Aretha Franklin's newly discovered will complicates estate dispute", "This is what will happen to Aretha Franklin's estate", "Dressed like a 'resplendent' queen, Aretha Franklin rests in gold casket", "A note from the NET Research Foundation on the passing of Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul", "Aretha Franklin Died of Advanced Neuroendocrine Pancreatic Cancer. Franklin continued to record acclaimed albums such as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967), Lady Soul (1968), Spirit in the Dark (1970), Young, Gifted and Black (1972), Amazing Grace (1972), and Sparkle (1976), before experiencing problems with the record company. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke all became friends of C. L. Franklin, as well. [12] By the time Aretha turned five, C. L. Franklin had permanently relocated the family to Detroit, where he took over the pastorship of the New Bethel Baptist Church. Aretha Franklin would bequeath her half-sister $50,000 in one of her drafted wills. The paternity of Franklin's oldest son has long been shrouded in mystery. With global sales of over 75 million records, Franklin is one of the world's best-selling music artists.[3]. [202] That same year, she was ranked 19th among the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time top artists.[203][204]. As depicted in the film, though Arethas father and some of her siblings were primarily based in Detroit, Michigan, her family members often joined her in recording studios and on tour across the country. [26][27], Just after her mother's death, Franklin began singing solos at New Bethel, debuting with the hymn "Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me". The youngest of the four siblings was also a talented musician in her own right, even writing Aint No Way, which Franklin would later sing. He saw us as stars, and thats how we saw ourselves.. She was delivered at her family's home located at 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. But, as her Detroit friends on the Motown label enjoyed hit after hit, Franklin struggled to achieve crossover success. [citation needed], In 1980, after leaving Atlantic Records,[75] Franklin signed with Clive Davis's Arista Records. Franklin won 18 Grammy Awards (out of 44 nominations),[4][5] including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (19681975), a Grammy Awards Living Legend honor and Lifetime Achievement Award. National Geographic's scripted "Genius: Aretha" debuted Sunday, but the family of Aretha Franklin was quick to say they didn't approve of the work . [70] Originally released in June 1972, Amazing Grace sold more than twomillion copies,[71] and is one of best-selling gospel albums of all time. [226][227], A tribute concert, "Aretha! I'm going to see her free if there is any justice in our courts, not because I believe in communism, but because she's a Black woman and she wants freedom for Black people. Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson and former husband Glynn Turman visited her on her deathbed. She returned to the charts in 1993 with the dance song "A Deeper Love" and returned to the top 40 with the song "Willing to Forgive" in 1994. "[188][189] Following a telecast procession up Seven Mile Road, Franklin was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. [30] In 1956, J.V.B. [74] On November 7, 1979, she guested The Mike Douglas Show with her yellow costume from her La Diva album, and sang "Ladies Only", "What If I Should Ever Need You" and "Yesterday" by the Beatles. became her first Arista album to be certified platinum. Aretha moved back to Detroit in late 1982 to assist with the care of her father, who died at Detroit's New Light Nursing Home on July 27, 1984. She enrolled in law school to become an entertainment lawyer, but sadly, she died of breast cancer in 1989 the same year as Cecil before she could realize that goal. She was praised for her arrangements and interpretations of other artists' hit songs. As a young teen, Franklin performed with her father on his gospel programs in major cities throughout the country and was recognized as a vocal prodigy. She provided money for civil rights groups, at times covering payroll, and performed at benefits and protests. [137], Franklin was performing at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 10, 1979, when her father, C. L., was shot twice at point-blank range in his Detroit home. In 2014, Franklin was signed under RCA Records, controller of the Arista catalog and a sister label to Columbia via Sony Music Entertainment, and worked with Clive Davis. Like their mother, Franklin's sons for decades have largely kept family matters private. She was 76. [44], In January 1961, Columbia issued Franklin's first album, Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo. The follow-up, 1981's Love All the Hurt Away, included her famed duet of the title track with George Benson, while the album also included her Grammy-winning cover of Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'". [96] On September 29, 2014, Franklin performed to a standing ovation, with Cissy Houston as backup, a compilation of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" on the Late Show with David Letterman. The Real Reason Harry Styles Wasnt Cast In 'The Little Mermaid', Get Your First Look At Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo In 'Wicked', The 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. Franklins Gospel Caravan, that Aretha sometimes sang in. In David Ritzs 2015 biography, Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin, Erma said, It was understood that our babies would be welcomed into the world and cared for with limitless love. Carl Ellan Kelley, the child, was raised by her grandmother and died in 2019. But Aretha Franklin who died of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the age of 76 never had an easy road. [221] She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Case Western Reserve University 2011[222] and Wayne State University in 1990 and an honorary Doctor of Law degree by BethuneCookman University in 1975. As a teen, Aretha Franklin sang in a junior gospel choir. In 2008, Franklin issued the holiday album This Christmas, Aretha on DMI Records.
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