Aretha Franklin. Part One.
Aretha Louise Franklin March 25, 1942, August 16, 2018. Was an American singer, songwriter & pianist. Honored as the Queen of Soul, Rolling Stone magazine twice named her as the greatest singer of all time.
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 & 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, & Sparkle, 1976, Before experiencing problems with the record company. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 & signed with Arista Records. Her success continued with the albums Jump to It, 1982, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? 1985, Aretha, 1986, & A Rose Is Still a Rose, 1998. Aretha Franklin is one of the best selling music artists, With over 75 million records sold worldwide. She recorded 112 charted singles on the US Billboard charts, Including 73 Hot 100 entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 96 R&B entries & 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) & 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) Including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (1968 to 1975) A Grammy Awards Living Legend honor & Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also awarded the National Medal of Arts & the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1987, She became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Her other inductions include the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005, The Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012, & posthumously the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2019, The Pulitzer Prize jury awarded her a posthumous special citation, For her indelible contribution to American music & culture for more than five decades.
Franklin’s birthplace, 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, to Barbara (née Siggers) & Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin. She was delivered at her family’s home located at 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. Her father was a Baptist minister & circuit preacher originally from Shelby, Mississippi, while her mother was an accomplished piano player & vocalist. Both Mr. & Mrs. Franklin had children from prior relationships in addition to the four children they had together. When Aretha was two, the family relocated to Buffalo, New York. By the time Aretha turned five, C. L. Franklin had permanently relocated the family to Detroit, Michigan where he took over the pastorship of the New Bethel Baptist Church. The Franklins had a troubled marriage due to Mr. Franklin’s infidelities, & they separated in 1948. At that time, Barbara Franklin returned to Buffalo with Aretha’s half-brother, Vaughn. After the separation, Aretha recalled seeing her mother in Buffalo during the summer, & Barbara Franklin frequently visited her children in Detroit. Aretha’s mother died of a heart attack on March 7, 1952, before Aretha’s 10th birthday. Several women, including Aretha’s grandmother, Rachel, & Mahalia Jackson, took turns helping with the children at the Franklin home. During this time, Aretha learned how to play piano by ear. She also attended public school in Detroit, going through her first year at Northern High School, But dropping out during her second year.
Aretha’s father’s emotionally driven sermons resulted in his being known as the man with the, million-dollar voice. He earned thousands of dollars for sermons in various churches across the country. His fame led to his home being visited by various celebrities. Among the visitors were gospel musicians Clara Ward, James Cleveland, & early Caravans members Albertina Walker & Inez Andrews. Martin Luther King Jr. Jackie Wilson & Sam Cooke all became friends of C. L. Franklin, as well. Ward was romantically involved with Aretha’s father from around 1949 until Ward’s death in 1973, though Aretha, preferred to view them strictly as friends. Ward also served as a role model to the young Aretha.
Aretha’s Musical career.
The Beginnings. 1952 to 1960. Just after her mother’s death, Franklin began singing solos at New Bethel Baptist Church, Debuting with the hymn Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me. 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. He also helped her sign her first recording deal with J.V.B. Records. Franklin was featured on vocals & piano. In 1956, J.V.B. released Franklin’s first single, Never Grow Old, Backed with, You Grow Closer. Precious Lord (Part 1) Backed with Precious Lord (Part 2) Followed in 1959. These four tracks, With the addition of, There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood, Were released on side one of the 1956 album, Spirituals. This was reissued by Battle Records in 1962, Under the same title. In 1965, Checker Records released Songs of Faith, Featuring the five tracks from the 1956 Spirituals Album, With the addition of four previously unreleased recordings. Aretha was only 14 when Songs of Faith was recorded.
During this time, Franklin would occasionally travel with the Soul Stirrers. As a young gospel singer, Franklin spent summers on the gospel circuit in Chicago & stayed with Mavis Staples’ family. According to music producer Quincy Jones, while Franklin was still young, Dinah Washington let him know that “Aretha was the, Next one. Franklin & her father traveled to California, where she met singer Sam Cooke. At the age of 16, Franklin went on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., & she would ultimately sing at his funeral in 1968. Other influences in her youth included Marvin Gaye, (who was a boyfriend of her sister), as well as Ray Charles & Sam Cooke, Two of Franklin’s greatest influences. 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.
Columbia years. 1960 to 1966. The billboard ad for Franklin’s debut single, Today I Sing the Blues, November 21, 1960
After turning 18, Franklin confided to her father that she aspired to follow Sam Cooke in recording pop music, & moved to New York. Serving as her manager, C. L. Franklin agreed to the move & helped to produce a two song demo that soon was brought to the attention of Columbia Records, who agreed to sign her in 1960, as a, Five percent artist. During this period, Franklin would be coached by choreographer Cholly Atkins to prepare for her pop performances. Before signing with Columbia, Sam Cooke tried to persuade Franklin’s father to sign her with his label, RCA Victor, but she had already decided to go with Columbia. Berry Gordy had also asked Franklin & her elder sister Erma to sign with his Tamla label, but C.L. Franklin turned Gordy down, as he felt Tamla was not yet an established label. Franklin’s first Columbia single, Today I Sing the Blues, Was issued in September 1960 & later reached the top 10 of the Hot Rhythm & Blues Sellers chart.
In January 1961, Columbia issued Franklin’s first album, Aretha. With The Ray Bryant Combo. The album featured her first single to chart the Billboard Hot 100, Won’t Be Long, Which also peaked at number 7 on the R&B chart. Mostly produced by Clyde Otis, Franklin’s Columbia recordings saw her performing in diverse genres, such as standards, Vocal jazz, Blues, Doo-Wop & Rhythm & Blues. 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. By the end of 1961, Franklin was named as a, New Star Female Vocalist, In DownBeat magazine. In 1962, Columbia issued two more albums, The Electrifying Aretha Franklin, & The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin, The latter of which reached number 69 on the Billboard chart.
