Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin (1942–2018) was a singer, songwriter and pianist whose gospel roots shaped soul classics including “Respect,” “Think” and “A Natural Woman.”
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Latest
Aretha’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus her backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
- I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You1967 · Atlantic breakthrough album
Atlantic / Rhino - Lady Soul1968 · Includes “Chain of Fools” and “A Natural Woman”
Atlantic / Rhino - Aretha Now1968 · Includes “Think” and “I Say a Little Prayer”
Atlantic / Rhino - Young, Gifted and Black1972 · Soul album
Atlantic / Rhino - Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings1972 recordings · Live gospel performances
Atlantic / Rhino
Overview
- Born
- March 25, 1942 · Memphis, Tennessee
- Hometown
- Detroit, Michigan
- Died
- August 16, 2018
- Work
- Singer, songwriter and pianist
- Breakout
- Her 1967 Atlantic recordings, including “Respect”
- Known as
- The Queen of Soul
Mini bio
How it started.
Born in Memphis and raised in Detroit, Aretha grew up singing at New Bethel Baptist Church, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was pastor. Gospel singers including Clara Ward and Mahalia Jackson were part of the world around her. She learned piano by ear and sang on trips with her father.
Finding her sound.
She signed with Columbia at 18, then found her breakthrough with Atlantic in 1967. Producer Jerry Wexler encouraged her to choose material and lead from the piano. Her reinvention of Otis Redding’s “Respect” became a signature recording and an anthem embraced by the civil rights and women’s movements.
The records fans return to.
Lady Soul and Aretha Now carried her late-1960s run forward. She returned to gospel for the live recordings of Amazing Grace in 1972, while her later career included the Arista hit “Freeway of Love.” In The Blues Brothers, she played Mrs. Murphy and performed “Think.”
Her legacy today.
Franklin died on August 16, 2018. Her official channels now celebrate her recordings and history. Recent activity on this page covers posthumous catalog releases and tribute performances by other artists.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 1985Who’s Zoomin’ Who?Recording artist; includes “Freeway of Love”
- 1972Amazing GraceLead vocalist on the live gospel album
- 1968Aretha NowRecording artist; co-writer of “Think”
- 1967I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love YouRecording artist and pianist
Film
- 1980The Blues BrothersMrs. Murphy; performs “Think”
Awards
Quotes
Well, we all need respect. Everybody wants respect of some kind.Aretha Franklin, Academy of Achievement interview
Asked about “Respect” becoming an anthem for social movements, she spoke about the need shared by everyone.
Trivia
- She learned to play piano by ear.
- At the 1998 Grammys, she stepped in for Luciano Pavarotti to sing Puccini’s “Nessun dorma.”
- “One Step Ahead” was sampled in Mos Def’s “Ms Fat Booty” and featured in the film Moonlight.
Find Aretha
Explore her recordings and follow the official channels preserving her legacy.
Are you Aretha Franklin?
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