Aretha franklin biography gospel singer
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Aretha Franklin
(1942-2018)
Who Was Aretha Franklin?
A gifted singer and pianist, Aretha Franklin toured with her father's traveling revival show and later visited New York, where she signed with Columbia Records. Franklin went on to release several popular singles, many of which are now considered classics. In 1987 she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2008 she won her 18th Grammy Award, making her one of the most honored artists in Grammy history.
Early Life and Career
The fourth of five children, Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Baptist preacher Reverend Clarence La Vaughan "C. L." Franklin and Barbara Siggers Franklin, a gospel singer.
Franklin's parents separated by the time she was six, and four years later her mother succumbed to a heart attack. Guided by C. L.'s preaching assignments, the family relocated to Detroit, Michigan. C. L. eventually landed at New Bethel Baptist Church, where he gained national renown as a preacher.
Franklin's musical gifts became apparent at an early age. Largely self-taught, she was regarded as a child prodigy. A gifted pianist with a powerful voice, Franklin got her start singing in front of her father's congregation.
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The National Museum of African American History and Culture mourns the passing of Aretha Franklin, the "Queen of Soul." Her voice, one of the most captivating of her generation, was unrivaled and changed the landscape of American music.
Franklin's first musical training came while singing gospel in New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit (her father, Rev. C.L. Franklin, was the pastor). She began performing professionally in her early teens eventually signing a contract with Columbia Records in 1960. During her time with Columbia, she recorded show tunes and standards. But, her career skyrocketed when she signed with Atlantic Records in 1967 and traveled to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record "I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)."
By the early 70s, Aretha Franklin was a legend. Her voice defined the meaning of "soul." She distinguished herself from other singers by recording a wide range of styles, exhibiting a keen musical curiosity and bringing intelligence to her craft. Her distinctly beautiful voice had a rich tone and extensive range and could shift from soft to powerful with ease. Franklin's talents came together through her unique phrasing, her rhythmic variations, her dynamics, and her unparalleled tone. All drawn from her African American gospel roots. It was s
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Encyclopedia Of Detroit
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