Aretha Franklin
1942-2018 · American (Memphis/Detroit) · Soul / R&B
Known for: The Queen of Soul whose voice was one of the most powerful instruments in music history
Franklin grew up singing gospel in Detroit churches and became a mother at 12 and 14. Her voice combined gospel ecstasy with blues grit. 'Respect' became the anthem of both civil rights and feminism.
She was fiercely competitive, demanded payment in cash (carried in her handbag), and was terrified of flying. She was generous, paying for hotel rooms for civil rights workers.
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