Global InformationAretha Franklin information
Aretha Franklin | |
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 Franklin in 1968 | |
| Born | Aretha Louise Franklin March 25, 1942 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 2018 (aged 76) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit |
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| Years active | 1954–2017 |
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| Children | 4 |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Discography | Aretha Franklin discography |
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| Website | www |
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Aretha Louise Franklin (/əˈriːθə/ ə-REE-thə; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist.[2] Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", Rolling Stone twice named her as the greatest singer of all time.[3][4]
As a child, Franklin was noticed for her gospel singing at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father C. L. Franklin was a minister. At the age of 18, she was signed as a recording artist for Columbia Records. While her career did not immediately flourish, Franklin found acclaim and commercial success once she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966. She recorded 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. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 and signed with Arista Records. Her success continued with the albums Jump to It (1982), Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985), Aretha (1986) and A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998).
Franklin is one of the best-selling music artists, with over 75 million records sold worldwide.[5] She recorded 112 charted singles on the US Billboard charts, including 73 Hot 100 entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries and 20 number-one R&B singles. Her best-known hits include "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools", "Think", "I Say a Little Prayer", "Ain't No Way", "Call Me", "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Spanish Harlem", "Rock Steady", "Day Dreaming", "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)", "Something He Can Feel", "Jump to It", "Freeway of Love", "Who's Zoomin' Who", "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (a duet with George Michael) and "A Rose Is Still a Rose". Aside from music, she appeared in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.
Franklin received numerous honors throughout her career. She won 18 Grammy Awards (out of 44 nominations),[6][7] including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (1968–1975), a Grammy Awards Living Legend honor and Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also awarded the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1987, she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her other inductions include the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012,[8] and posthumously the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2020.[9] In 2019, the Pulitzer Prize jury awarded her a posthumous special citation "for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades".
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Aretha Franklin | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved September 23, 2018.
- ^ Farber, Jim (August 16, 2018). "Aretha Franklin's 20 Essential Songs". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
- ^ "100 Greatest Singers: Aretha Franklin". Rolling Stone. December 3, 2010. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
- ^ "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ Martin, Nik (August 13, 2018). "Aretha Franklin, 'Queen of Soul,' gravely ill: report". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ "Aretha Franklin". Grammy Awards. March 17, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
- ^ "Quick Facts about Aretha Franklin". theneighborhoods.org. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Paulson, David (August 15, 2012). "Aretha Franklin inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on January 3, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "National Women's Hall of Fame Virtual Induction Series Inaugural Event December 10, 2020" (PDF). November 11, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2020.