Aretha Franklin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. This is a world-class singer who brilliantly performed songs in the style of rhythm and blues, soul and gospel.
She was often called the queen of soul. Not only authoritative music critics agree with this opinion, but also millions of fans all over the planet.
Childhood and youth of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin was born March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee. The girl's father worked as a priest, and her mother worked as a nurse. Aretha recalled that her father was an excellent speaker, and her mother was a good housewife. For reasons unknown to the girl, the relationship of the parents did not develop.
Soon the worst happened - Aretha's parents divorced. The girl was very upset by the divorce of her father and mother. Then the Franklin family lived in Detroit (Michigan). The mother did not want to stay under the same roof with her ex-husband. She did not find a better solution than to leave the children and go to New York.
At the age of 10, Aretha's singing talent was revealed. The father noticed that his daughter was interested in music and enrolled her in the church choir. Despite the fact that the girl's voice had not yet been staged, many spectators gathered for her performances. Father said that Aretha is the pearl of The Bethel Baptist Church.
Aretha Franklin debut album release
Franklin's talent was fully revealed in the mid-1950s. It was then that she performed the prayer "Dear Lord" in front of 4,5 thousand parishioners. At the time of the performance, Arete was only 14 years old. Gospel surprised and amazed the producer of the label JVB Records. He offered to record Franklin's debut album. Soon, music lovers were enjoying the tracks of Aretha's solo record, which was called Songs of Faith.
The musical compositions of the debut album were recorded during the performance of the church choir. In total, the collection includes 9 tracks. This album has since been re-released several times.
From that moment on, one would think that Aretha's singing career was about to take off. But it was not there. She told her father about the pregnancy. The girl was expecting a third child. At the time of the birth of her son, she was 17 years old.
In the late 1950s, Franklin decided that she was not happy with being a single mother. Sitting at home with the kids ruined her career. She left the children in the care of the pope and went to conquer New York.
The creative path of Aretha Franklin
Having moved to New York, the young performer did not waste precious time. The girl sent the recording of The Gospel Soul of Aretha Franklin (studio reissue of Songs of Faith) to several companies.
Not all labels responded to the offer to collaborate, but three companies contacted Aretha. As a result, the black singer made a choice in favor of the Columbia Records label, where John Hammond worked.
As time has shown, Franklin made a mistake in her calculations. Columbia Records had no idea how to properly introduce the singer to music lovers. Instead of letting the young performer find her "I", the label secured her the status of a pop singer.
For 6 years, Aretha Franklin has released about 10 albums. Music critics admired the singer's voice, but they said one thing about the songs: "Very insipid." The records were distributed in significant circulation, but the songs did not hit the charts.
Perhaps the most popular album of this time is Unforgettable - a tribute dedicated to Aretha's favorite singer Dinah Washington. Aretha Franklin said in one of her interviews:
“I heard Dina when I was just a child. My dad knew her personally, but I didn't. Secretly, I admired her. I wanted to dedicate songs to Dina. I did not try to imitate her unique style, I just sang her tracks the way my soul felt them ... ".
Collaboration with producer Jerry Wexler
In the mid-1960s, his contract with Columbia Records expired. Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler offered Aretha a profitable collaboration in 1966. She agreed. Franklin again began to sing her usual and heartfelt soul.
The producer had high hopes for the performer. He wanted to record a jazz album with the Music Emporium. The already rich vocals of Aretha Franklin Jerry wanted to complement the music of Eric Clapton, Dwayne Allman and Kissy Houston. But again, things didn't go according to plan.
During a studio session, Aretha's husband (part-time manager Ted White) provoked a drunken brawl with one of the musicians. The producer was forced to kick Franklin and her husband out. The singer managed to record only one track under the auspices of Jerry. We are talking about the track I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).
This composition became a real hit. Aretha wanted to finish recording the album. In 1967, a full-fledged studio album was ready. The collection climbed to the 2nd position of the national chart. Franklin's singing career developed.
Aretha Franklin continued to replenish her discography with albums. The Lady Soul compilation, which was released in 1968, deserves considerable attention. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked the album #84 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The pearl of the aforementioned album was the composition Respect, the first performer of which was Otis Redding. Interestingly, the track became the unofficial anthem of the feminist movement, and Aretha became the face of black women. In addition, thanks to this song, Franklin received her first Grammy Award.
Decreased popularity of Aretha Franklin
In the 1970s, Aretha Franklin's musical compositions were less and less on the charts. Her name was gradually forgotten. It was not the easiest period in the life of the artist. In the mid-1980s, her father died, she divorced her husband ... and Aretha's hands dropped.
The actress was brought back to life shooting in the movie "The Blues Brothers" (The Blues Brothers). The film tells about men who decide to revive an old blues band in order to transfer the proceeds to the orphanage in which they themselves once grew up. Franklin proved to be a good artist. She later starred in the movie The Blues Brothers 2000.
Soon the singer finally lost interest in recording solo albums. Now she mostly recorded musical compositions in a duet. So, the track I Knew You Were Waiting, which was presented in the mid-1980s with George Michael, took the 1st position on the Billboard Hot 100.
After the overwhelming success, no less successful collaborations with Christina Aguilera, Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Frank Sinatra and others followed.
This period is marked by a busy touring schedule. Aretha Franklin has performed in almost every corner of the planet. Interestingly, she used recordings from concerts to create video clips.
Aretha Franklin's personal life
It is impossible to say for sure that Franklin's personal life was a success. The woman was married twice. In 1961, she married Ted White. In this marriage, the couple lived for 8 years. Then Artera became the wife of Glynn Turman, in 1984 this union also broke up.
On the eve of her 70th birthday, Aretha Franklin announced that she was going to marry for the third time. However, a few days before the celebration, it became known that the woman canceled the marriage.
Franklin also took place as a mother. She had four children. As a minor, Aretha raised two sons, Clarence and Edward. In the mid-1960s, the singer gave birth to her husband's son, the boy was named Ted White Jr. The last child was born in the early 1970s to manager Ken Cunningham. Franklin named her son Cecalf.
Interesting facts about Aretha Franklin
- Aretha Franklin has 18 Grammy awards. In addition, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
- Aretha Franklin sang at the inaugurations of three US presidents - Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
- Franklin's main repertoire is soul and R&B, but in 1998 she "broke the system". At the Grammy Awards ceremony, the singer performed the aria Nessun Dorma from the opera Turandot by Giacomo Puccini.
- Aretha Franklin is afraid of flying. During her lifetime, the woman practically did not fly, but moved around the world on her favorite bus.
- An asteroid was named after Aretha. This event happened back in 2014. The official name of the cosmic body is 249516 Aretha.
Death of Aretha Franklin
In 2010, Arete was given a disappointing diagnosis. The singer was diagnosed with cancer. Despite this, she continued to perform on stage. Franklin last performed at a concert in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 2017.
It was around this time period that horrifying photos of Aretha emerged - she had lost 39 kg and looked exhausted. Franklin knew there was no going back. She said goodbye to her loved ones in advance. Doctors predicted the imminent death of a celebrity. Aretha Franklin died on August 16, 2018 at the age of 76.
