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Aretha Franklin Biography: Life and Career of the Soul Singer


she is the Queen of Soul welcome to

she is the Queen of Soul welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a

watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a

watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the life and career of a ritha

look at the life and career of a ritha

look at the life and career of a ritha Franklin sure you haven’t got the wrong

Franklin sure you haven’t got the wrong

Franklin sure you haven’t got the wrong number

number

number he shoots me you wanna talk to tonight

he shoots me you wanna talk to tonight

he shoots me you wanna talk to tonight Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March

Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March

Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25th 1942 in Memphis Tennessee she

25th 1942 in Memphis Tennessee she

25th 1942 in Memphis Tennessee she started singing in church at an early

started singing in church at an early

started singing in church at an early age which helped get her signed to the

age which helped get her signed to the

age which helped get her signed to the gospel division of checker records her

gospel division of checker records her

gospel division of checker records her debut album songs of faith was released

debut album songs of faith was released

debut album songs of faith was released in 1956 however four years later she

in 1956 however four years later she

in 1956 however four years later she left the gospel route and signed with

left the gospel route and signed with

left the gospel route and signed with Columbia Records her first single was

Columbia Records her first single was

Columbia Records her first single was the 1960 R&B hit today I sing the blues

the 1960 R&B hit today I sing the blues

the 1960 R&B hit today I sing the blues but today

Shingon abou this was followed by the

Shingon abou this was followed by the album Aretha and her first top 40 pop

album Aretha and her first top 40 pop

album Aretha and her first top 40 pop hit Rockabye your baby with a Dixie

hit Rockabye your baby with a Dixie

hit Rockabye your baby with a Dixie melody

XML

XML in an attempt to capitalize on the

in an attempt to capitalize on the

in an attempt to capitalize on the artists love of Dinah Washington

artists love of Dinah Washington

artists love of Dinah Washington Columbia initially fit Franklin in the

Columbia initially fit Franklin in the

Columbia initially fit Franklin in the realm of jazz with albums like laughing

realm of jazz with albums like laughing

realm of jazz with albums like laughing on the outside however she later started

on the outside however she later started

on the outside however she later started recording girl group type tracks such as

recording girl group type tracks such as

recording girl group type tracks such as Mockingbird instead

no my

no my still success evaded her so she signed a

still success evaded her so she signed a

still success evaded her so she signed a deal with Atlantic in 1966 and released

deal with Atlantic in 1966 and released

deal with Atlantic in 1966 and released the bluesy number I never loved a man

the bluesy number I never loved a man

the bluesy number I never loved a man the way I love you the next year it

the way I love you the next year it

the way I love you the next year it became a crossover hit peaking in the

became a crossover hit peaking in the

became a crossover hit peaking in the top 10 of both the pop and R&B charts

top 10 of both the pop and R&B charts

top 10 of both the pop and R&B charts this paved the way for what would become

this paved the way for what would become

this paved the way for what would become her biggest and most celebrated

her biggest and most celebrated

her biggest and most celebrated recording a gospel flavoured cover of

recording a gospel flavoured cover of

recording a gospel flavoured cover of Otis Redding’s respect the song would

Otis Redding’s respect the song would

Otis Redding’s respect the song would later earn Franklin two Grammys and

later earn Franklin two Grammys and

later earn Franklin two Grammys and become a symbol of the feminist movement

become a symbol of the feminist movement

become a symbol of the feminist movement the late 60s turned Franklin into a

the late 60s turned Franklin into a

the late 60s turned Franklin into a superstar with hits such as think chain

superstar with hits such as think chain

superstar with hits such as think chain of fools and you make me feel like a

of fools and you make me feel like a

of fools and you make me feel like a natural woman her success continued well

natural woman her success continued well

natural woman her success continued well into the early 70s with the tune don’t

into the early 70s with the tune don’t

into the early 70s with the tune don’t play that song don’t play that song for

play that song don’t play that song for

play that song don’t play that song for me and her gig at San Francisco’s

me and her gig at San Francisco’s

me and her gig at San Francisco’s Fillmore West which was one of the

Fillmore West which was one of the

Fillmore West which was one of the venues first headlining sets by an

venues first headlining sets by an

venues first headlining sets by an african-american more Grammys followed

african-american more Grammys followed

african-american more Grammys followed with the release of 1971 s young gifted

with the release of 1971 s young gifted

with the release of 1971 s young gifted and black and 1972 s

and black and 1972 s

and black and 1972 s Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace also proved to be the

Amazing Grace also proved to be the biggest selling disc of Franklin’s

biggest selling disc of Franklin’s

biggest selling disc of Franklin’s career and the best-selling gospel album

career and the best-selling gospel album

career and the best-selling gospel album of all time Franklin had a couple more

of all time Franklin had a couple more

of all time Franklin had a couple more R&B hits in the next few years including

R&B hits in the next few years including

R&B hits in the next few years including angel but the rise of disco meant low

angel but the rise of disco meant low

angel but the rise of disco meant low album sales for Franklin her own foray

album sales for Franklin her own foray

album sales for Franklin her own foray into the disco world 1979’s la diva this

into the disco world 1979’s la diva this

into the disco world 1979’s la diva this is for Lady was a commercial failure so

is for Lady was a commercial failure so

is for Lady was a commercial failure so Franklin left Atlantic Franklin’s film

Franklin left Atlantic Franklin’s film

Franklin left Atlantic Franklin’s film debut in 1980s Blues Brothers was

debut in 1980s Blues Brothers was

debut in 1980s Blues Brothers was followed by a contract with Arista

followed by a contract with Arista

followed by a contract with Arista Records the 1981 album love all the hurt

Records the 1981 album love all the hurt

Records the 1981 album love all the hurt away earned her another Grammy and her

away earned her another Grammy and her

away earned her another Grammy and her comeback to the pop charts was cemented

comeback to the pop charts was cemented

comeback to the pop charts was cemented with the 1982 effort jumped to it after

with the 1982 effort jumped to it after

with the 1982 effort jumped to it after a short break following her father’s

a short break following her father’s

a short break following her father’s death Franklin released her first

death Franklin released her first

death Franklin released her first Platinum certified record 1985’s who

Platinum certified record 1985’s who

Platinum certified record 1985’s who zoomin who makes several genres and

zoomin who makes several genres and

zoomin who makes several genres and produce numerous hits that were

produce numerous hits that were

produce numerous hits that were accompanied by popular music videos the

accompanied by popular music videos the

accompanied by popular music videos the next year for a Reetha album generated

next year for a Reetha album generated

next year for a Reetha album generated her first number-one single on the Hot

her first number-one single on the Hot

her first number-one single on the Hot 100 since respect a duet with George

100 since respect a duet with George

100 since respect a duet with George Michael called I knew you were waiting

Michael called I knew you were waiting

Michael called I knew you were waiting for me

for me

for me in 1987 Aretha Franklin became the first

in 1987 Aretha Franklin became the first

in 1987 Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll

woman inducted into the Rock and Roll

woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that same year she released

Hall of Fame that same year she released

Hall of Fame that same year she released a gospel album one Lord one faith one

a gospel album one Lord one faith one

a gospel album one Lord one faith one baptism but by 1989 she have returned to

baptism but by 1989 she have returned to

baptism but by 1989 she have returned to the world of pop with through the storm

the world of pop with through the storm

the world of pop with through the storm it was a commercial disappointment

it was a commercial disappointment

it was a commercial disappointment though as was the Jack Swing oriented

though as was the Jack Swing oriented

though as was the Jack Swing oriented record what you see is what you sweat

record what you see is what you sweat

record what you see is what you sweat nevertheless Franklin contributed to

nevertheless Franklin contributed to

nevertheless Franklin contributed to several movie soundtracks in the early

several movie soundtracks in the early

several movie soundtracks in the early 90s and had two hits with babyface

90s and had two hits with babyface

90s and had two hits with babyface Franklin then ventured into the realm of

Franklin then ventured into the realm of

Franklin then ventured into the realm of urban contemporary music with her 1998

urban contemporary music with her 1998

urban contemporary music with her 1998 effort arose is still arose which

effort arose is still arose which

effort arose is still arose which yielded a hit with the title track

that same year at the 40th Grammy Awards

that same year at the 40th Grammy Awards Franklin made an improvised performance

Franklin made an improvised performance

Franklin made an improvised performance on behalf of Luciano Pavarotti who was

on behalf of Luciano Pavarotti who was

on behalf of Luciano Pavarotti who was unable to attend due to illness her next

unable to attend due to illness her next

unable to attend due to illness her next album would only surface in 2003 so damn

album would only surface in 2003 so damn

album would only surface in 2003 so damn happy sold poorly though one of its

happy sold poorly though one of its

happy sold poorly though one of its songs wonderful when Franklin another

songs wonderful when Franklin another

songs wonderful when Franklin another Grammy next up was a 2007 duets album

Grammy next up was a 2007 duets album

Grammy next up was a 2007 duets album called jewels in the crown all-star

called jewels in the crown all-star

called jewels in the crown all-star duets with the Queen followed by her

duets with the Queen followed by her

duets with the Queen followed by her first holiday record 2008 this Christmas

first holiday record 2008 this Christmas

first holiday record 2008 this Christmas Aretha in 2009

Aretha in 2009

Aretha in 2009 Franklin sang my country tis of thee at

Franklin sang my country tis of thee at

Franklin sang my country tis of thee at the inauguration ceremony of US

the inauguration ceremony of US

the inauguration ceremony of US President Barack Obama though she

President Barack Obama though she

President Barack Obama though she continued working on new material

continued working on new material

continued working on new material Franklin had to put making music on hold

Franklin had to put making music on hold

Franklin had to put making music on hold at the end of 2010 due to a sudden

at the end of 2010 due to a sudden

at the end of 2010 due to a sudden illness however she was soon back on her

illness however she was soon back on her

illness however she was soon back on her feet and in 2011 she released the album

feet and in 2011 she released the album

feet and in 2011 she released the album a woman falling out of love on her label

a woman falling out of love on her label

a woman falling out of love on her label of Rita’s records Aretha Franklin is a

of Rita’s records Aretha Franklin is a

of Rita’s records Aretha Franklin is a one-of-a-kind artist who is more than

one-of-a-kind artist who is more than

one-of-a-kind artist who is more than well deserved the recognition she has

well deserved the recognition she has

well deserved the recognition she has received with her powerful soulful voice

received with her powerful soulful voice

received with her powerful soulful voice and rich discography she has been

and rich discography she has been

and rich discography she has been revered by countless musicians and will

revered by countless musicians and will

revered by countless musicians and will surely continue to be for a long long

surely continue to be for a long long

surely continue to be for a long long time

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