 |
 |
| |
|
| Aretha Franklin |
|
"I'm the lady next door when I'm not on stage."
-Aretha Franklin
| Date of Birth: March 25, 1942 |
| Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee |
| |
|
 |
| Her '60s recordings for Atlantic gained her the title "Lady Soul." Her version of "Respect" (1967) became an anthem during the time of black activism and women's liberation. She's had countless hit records since that time, including a full-fledged comeback in the 1980s, and is still regarded as the diva's Diva. |
 |
| Aretha Franklin is one of those artists that epitomizes a particular style of music. Her skillful blend of gospel, rhythm and blues, and pop stylings established her as the "Queen of Soul." She has recorded so many great songs over the past four decades, that it's impossible to single any one out as a favorite; "Chain of Fools," "Rock Steady" and "Day Dreaming" are just three that immediately come to mind. |
 |
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. She and her sisters Carolyn and Erma began singing in the church choir from the time they could barely even speak -- their father was Reverend C.L. Franklin, a powerful orator and respected gospel singer in his own right.
After he moved the family north to Detroit, he became known for his magnetic public appearances. Through their father, Aretha and her sisters got to know major gospel singers such as Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward; they also became acquainted with future R&B stars like Smokey Robinson and Sam Cooke.
At the age of 12, Aretha become a featured soloist during church sermons, and made her first recordings as a gospel artist by the time she reached 14. The Gospel Sound of Aretha Franklin was released in 1956. Encouraged by the success of Sam Cooke's R&B/pop recordings (Cooke had previously only sung gospel material), 18-year-old Aretha moved to New York City in 1960. She was signed to Columbia Records, and released several singles and albums with the label between 1960 and 1966.
Although she managed to score two top 10 R&B singles with Columbia, she wasn't able to really cut loose with the type of material being offered. The label promoted her as a singer of jazz and pop standards, which wasn't where Aretha was coming from. She was signed to Atlantic Records, a label renowned for its roster of R&B artists, by producer Jerry Wexler in 1967.
Wexler and the group of musicians he assembled to back her in the studio helped bring out the raw, gritty energy that was lacking from her Columbia recordings. The result was a blend of gospel, blues, pop, and R&B that was coming to be known as "soul" music around that time. "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You)" was released in February 1967, went to No. 9 on the pop charts, and spent an incredible nine weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's R&B charts. The album of the same name reached No. 2 on the pop charts, and also included the song that she's become best known for. |
|
|
|
 |
MOST POPULAR |
|
| |
 |
 |
| one model place most super next top model ... |
|
 |
 |
 |
Find most glamour
women of the world... |
|
|
 |
 |
Find most famous
actress of the world... |
|
|
 |
 |
Find most and famous
singers of the world... |
|
|
 |
 |
Find most famous top
men of the world... |
|
|
|
 |
FEATURED MODELS |
|
|
|
|
|
