Her father was something of a celebrity in Detroit . He came along at just the right time. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. A small boy was so touched by her performance that he came onto the stage and embraced her while Franklin was still singing. In 2005 Franklin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for revolutionizing music and helping to shape our Nations artistic and cultural heritage. Today she is widely considered the Queen of Soul.. White is portrayed by actor Malcolm Barrett in Genius: Aretha. Aretha had an abusive first marriage to Detroit pimp Ted White ( Image: Michael Ochs. Ted Jr. who is also a musician became known as Teddy Richards. [129] He provided guitar backing for his mother's band during live concerts. released Franklin's first single, "Never Grow Old", backed with "You Grow Closer". Read more opinions on theGrio. [112], According to Richie Unterberger, Franklin was "one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. Aretha Franklin, in full Aretha Louise Franklin, (born March 25, 1942, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.died August 16, 2018, Detroit, Michigan), American singer who defined the golden age of soul music of the 1960s. [177] Civil rights activist and minister Al Sharpton called her a "civil rights and humanitarian icon". After her parents separated, Franklin remained with her father in Detroit. March 17, 2021. Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, to Barbara (ne Siggers) and Clarence LaVaughn "C. L." Franklin. ", While Franklin herself never directly addressed the dark side of the relationship, one of the first signs of trouble emerged in a 1968 Time story that said White had roughed her up in public at Atlantas Regency Hyatt House Hotel. While there werent further details, it did go on to say: It was not the first such incident., The story described White as former dabbler in Detroit real estate and a street-corner wheeler-dealer who had come a long way since he married Aretha and took over the management of her career. Even gospel great Mahalia Jackson spoke out in the article, saying: I dont think shes happy. Aretha was married to Ted White in 1961, when the singer was 19. Franklin achieved a gold recordfor the first time in seven yearswith the 1982 album Jump to It. Franklin in 1936, and the couple went on to have four children: Erma (born in 1938), Cecil (born in 1940), Aretha (born in 1942), and Carolyn (born in 1944).Barbara also had a child from a previous relationship, Vaughn, who was born in 1934 and adopted by C.L. Years after divorcing White, Aretha Franklin married actor Glenn Turman in 1978. Aretha and actor Glynn Turman married on April 11, 1978, at her father's church. They separated when she was 6-year old. She married her first husband, Ted White (pictured together in 1968) in 1961 when she was 19. Over one billion people worldwide saw the performance, and she received an immediate standing ovation. Aretha Franklin's funeral fit for a queen 03:59 CNN Aretha Franklin, whose gospel-rooted singing and bluesy yet expansive delivery earned her the title " the Queen of Soul ," has died,. However, she struggled with commercial success while at Columbia. [113] Franklin's voice was described as being a "powerful mezzo-soprano voice". Turman, 74, is best known for roles in Cooley High, The Wire, and House of Lies. Aretha Franklin married Ted White when she was a teenager In the early 1960s, Franklin was an up-and-coming singer while White was a sandlot promoter who dabbled in Detroit real estate. Franklins mother, Barbara, was a gospel singer and pianist. Franklin maintained a residence there until her death. wasn't his biological father until 1951 ). [238], "Aretha" and "Queen of Soul" redirect here. Thats the one commitment that will never die.. According to Daily Mail, Aretha Franklin's early career was reportedly bankrolled by Ted White, the man she walked down . [51], Franklin was the mother of four sons. [91] To complete her Arista obligations, Franklin issued the duets compilation album Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen in 2007. Just under 10 years after her turbulent first marriage to former manager Ted White came to an end, the . [202] That same year, she was ranked 19th among the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time top artists.[203][204]. [105] Franklin released the album A Brand New Me in November 2017 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which uses archived recordings from Franklin. [165], In February 2017, Franklin announced in an interview with local Detroit television anchor Evrod Cassimy, that 2017 would be her final year touring. [39] Her frenetic version was released in April and reached number one on both the R&B and pop charts. And Aretha Franklin knew that better than anyone. Type. In 1987, she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After just a few weeks of dating, the pair. He helped her stop drinking, she said. Her father, C.L. [24] She was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005,[197] and the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015. Aretha's second husband is actor Glynn Turman. Aretha was married to her second husband, actor Glynn Turman, from 1978 to 1984. . My family supported me in every way, she wrote in her book. adopted (Vaughn didn't learn C.L. [24] Serving as her manager, C. L. Franklin agreed to the move and 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". At age 18, with her fathers blessing, Franklin switched from sacred to secular music. [86][87], In 1995, she was selected to play Aunt Em in the Apollo Theater revival of The Wiz. Her marriage to Glynn was billed as the perfect Hollywood relationship. He added having to spend time together was very moving. Take a look back at Aretha Franklin's life, as she tells it through a . [37] Other influences in her youth included Marvin Gaye (who was a boyfriend of her sister), as well as Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, "two of Franklin's greatest influences". The Young and the Restless ' Eric Braeden (Victor) was able to relive a very special moment when a photo popped up on his social media memories. The album of the same name was released after the single. Advertisement ARETHA'S MARRIAGE Aretha Franklin and actor Glynn Turman both had failed marriages when they started falling in love. "I felt like she needed counseling cause she kept missing gigs and kept taking all kinds of abuse from Ted. Aretha Louise Franklin (/ri/ -REE-th; March 25, 1942 August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. After splitting with White, Franklin met Ken Cunningham in 1969. [citation needed], Working with Wexler and Atlantic, Franklin had become "the most successful singer in the nation" by 1968. The documentary Amazing Grace, which chronicles her recording of the 1972 album, premiered in 2018. [164] Franklin later returned to live performing, including a 2013 Christmas concert at Detroit's MotorCity Casino Hotel. Just one.". At the age of 19, the future Queen of Soul wed her managerand the seven-year marriage was filled with dark moments. [205] Inducted to the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012, Franklin was described as "the voice of the civil rights movement, the voice of black America". [130] Her youngest son, Kecalf Cunningham, was born in April 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham.[131]. It ended years later, and many sources affirm that it was due to domestic abuse. In 2008, Franklin issued the holiday album This Christmas, Aretha on DMI Records. THE Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, who was one of the most successful American singers of all time, died in August 2018 aged 76 from pancreatic cancer. By marrying Turman, Franklin became stepmother of Turman's three children. [34] In 1985, inspired by a desire to have a "younger sound" in her music, Who's Zoomin' Who? [96] On September 29, 2014, Franklin performed to a standing ovation, with Cissy Houston as backup, a compilation of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" on the Late Show with David Letterman. Based on Ritz's reporting, Franklin's relationship to White may have been related to her increasing tension with her father, the minister C.L. [citation needed] After Jerry Wexler left Atlantic for Warner Bros. Records in 1976, Franklin worked on the soundtrack to the film Sparkle with Curtis Mayfield. Aretha Franklin's first marriage was to Ted White. Her father was a Baptist minister and circuit preacher originally from Shelby, Mississippi, while her mother was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Aretha Franklin died of advanced pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018, in Detroit, Michigan. Some of these releases were from the acclaimed albums Spirit in the Dark and Young, Gifted and Black. Franklin and White divorced in 1969, and had one child, Teddy Richards, a successful musician who played guitar in his mother's band. Her mother died when Aretha was 10. Their talent takes over their lives and overwhelms everything else, Cecil said. As a young teen, Franklin performed with her father on his gospel programs in major cities throughout the country and was recognized as a vocal prodigy. Aretha Louise Franklin was the daughter of Rev. [74] On November 7, 1979, she guested The Mike Douglas Show with her yellow costume from her La Diva album, and sang "Ladies Only", "What If I Should Ever Need You" and "Yesterday" by the Beatles. [18][28] 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. A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul", "Tyler Perry to Host Aretha Franklin Tribute Special for CBS, Recording Academy", "Aretha Franklin Tribute Concert Lines Up Janelle Monae, Alicia Keys, John Legend", "Aretha Franklin honored with star-studded tribute concert", "TV Review: 'Aretha! I asked my father if we could use his new car to go on Sam's tour.' Her father [the legendary Reverend C.L. Ted was into something else. [144] Franklin had to cancel plans to perform at Whitney Houston's memorial service on February 18, 2012, due to a leg spasm. Her sister Carolyn died in April 1988 from breast cancer and her eldest sister Erma died from throat cancer in September 2002. Franklin was married to Glynn Turman from 1978 to 1984. Musicians and professionals alike such as Elton John, Keith Richards, Carole King, and Clive Davis were fans of her piano performances. [139], Franklin had a long friendship with Willie Wilkerson, a Vietnam War veteran and Detroit firefighter, who also helped in her work and cared for her when ill.[140] In 2012 she announced plans to marry Wilkerson[141][142] but the engagement was quickly called off. [19] She also attended public school in Detroit, going through her freshman year at Northern High School, but dropping out during her sophomore year. C.L. [135] She married actor Glynn Turman, on April 11, 1978, at her father's church. In 2010, Franklin accepted an honorary degree from Yale University. Despite their short marriage, the former couple remained close friends throughout the years. Franklin, played by Courtney B. Vance, in "Genius: Aretha.". "He was a fixture at the clubs. By the late 1970s disco cramped Franklins style and eroded her popularity. They had a special relationship.". Besides the foregoing, the singer's well-known hits also include "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" and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (a duet with George Michael). "In those years, Arethas story was pretty much a struggle over her career by two menour dad and Ted," Erma said. She returned to the charts in 1993 with the dance song "A Deeper Love" and returned to the top 40 with the song "Willing to Forgive" in 1994. She also was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Her first husband was Ted White, whom she married in 1961 at the age of 18. [81] The next year's Aretha album nearly matched this success with the hit singles "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Jimmy Lee" and "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me", her international number-one duet with George Michael. confers 3,243 degrees at 309th Commencement", "Aretha Franklin talks new album, says health is 'fine', "Sings the Great Diva Classics Aretha Franklin", "Aretha Franklin Notches Milestone 100th Hit on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart", "Aretha Franklin Just Brought the Leader of the Free World to Tears", "Aretha Franklin stuns at Kennedy Center Honors", "Obama cries as Aretha Franklin proves why she's the queen of soul", "Watch Aretha Franklin Bring Obama to Tears at Kennedy Center Honors", "Aretha Franklin Dropping Her Fur Coat at 'Kennedy Center Honors' is Ultimate Life Goals! [25] Ward also served as a role model to the young Aretha. Franklin's success expanded during the early 1970s, during which she recorded the multi-week R&B number one "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", as well as the top-ten singles "Spanish Harlem", "Rock Steady", and "Day Dreaming". Franklin only spent one day recording at FAME, as an altercation broke out between her manager and husband Ted White, studio owner Rick Hall, and a horn player, and sessions were abandoned. Before meeting Aretha Franklin [18] During this time, Aretha learned how to play piano by ear. [14] At that time, Barbara Franklin returned to Buffalo with Aretha's half-brother, Vaughn. In 1977, Franklin met Glynn Turman at a benefit party for the charity Giant Step and they began seeing each other. I've been locked up (for disturbing the peace in Detroit) and I know you got to disturb the peace when you can't get no peace. Shes a genius, and geniuses are plagued by their talent. [210] The Aretha Franklin Post Office Building was named in 2021, and is located at 12711 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Franklin married Ted White in 1961 but divorced him in 1969. Franklin was married twice. [117], From her time growing up in the home of a prominent African-American preacher to the end of her life, Franklin was immersed and involved in the struggle for civil rights and women's rights. "[104] Describing Franklin's voice on her first album, Songs of Faith, released in 1956 when she was just 14, Jerry Wexler explained that it "was not that of a child but rather of an ecstatic hierophant". "Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R&B, rock and rollthe way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. Aretha told me she could use it on one condition: only if I drove. But, as her Detroit friends on the Motown label enjoyed hit after hit, Franklin struggled to achieve crossover success. [209] In 2018, Franklin was inducted in to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. The album's title track was her first top-40 single on the pop charts in six years. [116], In 2015, President Barack Obama wrote the following regarding Franklin:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R. & B., rock and rollthe way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. [153] She admitted in 1994 that her smoking was "messing with my voice",[154] but after quitting smoking she said later, in 2003, that her weight "ballooned". Franklin, presided over the New Bethel Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan, and was a minister of national influence. A handsome, dashing, and successful actor marries a beautiful, glamorous, and successful singer, Erma told Ritz. [32], During this time, Franklin would occasionally travel with the Soul Stirrers. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. [213], Franklin received honorary degrees from Harvard University and New York University in 2014,[214] as well as honorary doctorates in music from Princeton University, 2012;[215] Yale University, 2010;[216] Brown University, 2009;[217] University of Pennsylvania, 2007;[218] Berklee College of Music, 2006;[219] New England Conservatory of Music, 1997;[220] and University of Michigan, 1987. According to music producer Quincy Jones, while Franklin was still young, Dinah Washington let him know that "Aretha was the 'next one'". [212][213] After working with the artist for nearly four decades, Clive Davis, said that Aretha "understood the essence of both language and melody and was able to take it to a place very fewif anycould". In "Respect," Aretha is seen as a 10-year-old in her Detroit bedroom when an older, unnamed male house guest wanders in, offering to be her "boyfriend.". In one of her handwritten wills, discovered in 2019, Franklin revealed that the father was Edward Jordan. [234] Franklin's biopic Respect was released in August 2021 in various countries. [82] In 1987, she issued her third gospel album, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which was recorded at her late father's New Bethel church, followed by Through the Storm in 1989. Aretha moved back to Detroit in late 1982 to assist with the care of her father, who died at Detroit's New Light Nursing Home on July 27, 1984. Born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Aretha was one of five children raised by CL Franklin, a preacher who eventually settled in Detroit, and inherited both his fiery temperament and love of music. With the fresh anthology about Franklin currently streaming on Hulu, heres a primer on the men she once shared her life with. In Respect, Etta James likens the relationship between Aretha and White to that of Ike and Tina Turner, which was abusive, and in an interview as part of the book, legendary record producer Clyde Otis talked about being at tense sessions with the two of them. Inside Aretha Franklins Relationship with Her First Husband Ted White, Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Before the separation, White also managed Franklin's. She released a gospel album, The Gospel Sound of Aretha Franklin, in 1956, at age 14. However, their marriage ended painfully, and she never remarried. Her central influence, Clara Ward of the renowned Ward Singers, was a family friend. Though obviously musicians dont pull solely from their own experiences, its hard not to consider that Franklin's husbands and romantic partners figured into her creative process, as the Queen of Soul rebounded from heartbreak many times. ", "Soul Survivor: The revival and hidden treasure of Aretha Franklin", "That time Aretha Franklin dazzled America on Thanksgiving with national anthem", "Aretha Franklin's classic old records get Royal Philharmonic garnish", "Aretha Franklin gives Detroit something to remember", "Review: Aretha Franklin buoyant at Chicago Theatre", "The Diva Has Returned: Aretha Franklin Reveals Stunning Weight Loss", "Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin dies: A look back at her legacy", "Relive Aretha Franklin at Ravinia for what wound up being her final full concert ever! Following Franklin's divorce from Ted White, her brother Cecil became her manager and maintained that position until his death from lung cancer on December 26, 1989. Franklin was married twice, and had four children, before passing away in 2018 at the age of 76. became her first Arista album to be certified platinum. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Franklin recorded 112 charted singles on the US Billboard charts, including 73 Hot 100 entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries and 20 number-one R&B singles. A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul", was organized by CBS and the Recording Academy[228] on January 13, 2019, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. But Franklin's inner circle was not so fond of him. [79] The following year, she released "Get It Right", produced by Luther Vandross.[80]. Aretha [] The post 25 years of 'A Rose Is Still a Rose,' Aretha Franklin's last grand statement and Lauryn Hill's first on her own appeared first on TheGrio. [137], Franklin was performing at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 10, 1979, when her father, C. L., was shot twice at point-blank range in his Detroit home. She moved to New York City, where Columbia Records executive John Hammond, who had signed Count Basie and Billie Holiday, arranged her recording contract and supervised sessions highlighting her in a blues-jazz vein. Though Franklin and Turman did several high-profile interviews with the intention of painting their married life as idyllic, things reportedly started to erode. Cecil Franklin. [134] After a contentious marriage that was marred by domestic abuse, Franklin separated from White in 1968 and divorced him in 1969. 7 She Always Carried Her Purse. Twelve years later, an unheard performance of "Never Gonna Break My Faith" was released in June 2020 to commemorate Juneteenth with a new video visualizing the American human rights movement. Her sister Erma knew him and she also told me he considered me among the most beautiful women in the world, Franklin wrote in her memoir From These Roots. Franklin and White separated in 1968 and their divorce was finalized a year later. [84] That recording reached number 26 on the Hot 100 and number five on the R&B chart. [40], She returned to Detroit's Ford Field on Thanksgiving Day 2016 to once again perform the national anthem before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. By 19, Aretha married her manager, Ted White Snr, who allegedly introduced the singer to weed and alcohol. C. L. (Clarence La Vaughn), a minister and gospel singer, and gospel singer Barbara (Siggers) Franklin. On August 13, 2018, Franklin was reported to be gravely ill with pancreatic cancer, the disease she was first diagnosed with in 2010, in a Detroit hospital. Franklin's movie about her life, titled. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [21][22] His fame led to his home being visited by various celebrities. Surrounded by sympathetic musicians playing spontaneous arrangements and devising the background vocals herself, Franklin refined a style associated with Ray Charlesa rousing mixture of gospel and rhythm and bluesand raised it to new heights. 3 The end of their marriage was dogged by. The song's B-side, "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", reached the R&B top 40, peaking at number 37. Aretha was only 14 when Songs of Faith was recorded. Franklin's half-brother Vaughn died in late 2002. Aretha Franklin's former love interest and longtime friend, Willie Wilkerson, Jr. has died from the COVID-19 virus at the age of 72. . Tragedy struck when Aretha's father was shot in 1979 and in a coma until his passing in 1984. In 1967s I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), she sang the words, I don't know why I let you do these things to me / My friends keep telling me that you ain't no good / But they don't know that I'd leave you if I could.. A lot of trouble. She already knew him. [201] Following news of Franklin's surgery and recovery in February 2011, the Grammys ceremony paid tribute to the singer with a medley of her classics performed by Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, and Yolanda Adams. They called each other sweetie. (Richard DuCree / National Geographic) Unlike most show business biographies, in which an artist . Her main commitment is to her music. The concert included performances by Smokey Robinson, Janelle Mone, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Alessia Cara, Patti LaBelle, Jennifer Hudson, Chloe x Halle, H.E.R., SZA, Brandi Carlile, Yolanda Adams and Shirley Caesar,[229][230] and was recorded for television, airing on March 10. [146][147][148][149], Franklin had weight issues for many years. Franklin and Turman, who had no children together, separated in 1982 and divorced in 1984. The Queen of Soul died of pancreatic . Aretha is the kind of girl, youve got to love her hard, pianist Teddy Harris said. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aretha-Franklin, Aretha Franklin - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Aretha Franklin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1987). [47] Also during that period, she appeared on rock-and-roll shows, such as Hollywood a Go-Go and Shindig! [235][236], On February 10, 2019, it was announced that the subject of the third season of the American National Geographic anthology television series Genius would be Franklin, in the "first-ever, definitive scripted miniseries on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul". Somebody else is making her sing the blues., Over the years, other reports have backed up the Time allegations. Get Rebel Wilson Married The prodigal Disney CEO is whipping the company into shape by facilitating celebrity Rebel Wilson 's . Editor's note: The following article is an op-ed and the views expressed are the author's own. Aretha Franklin was engaged to Willie Wilkerson (2012). She was made Whitney's honorary aunt (not a godmother as has been occasionally reported) and Whitney often referred to her as "Auntie Ree". Franklin first met Cissy's young daughter, Whitney Houston, in the early 1970s. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. However, Franklin's family denounced the series, claiming to be uninvolved with the production process, despite the production team stating that the series had been endorsed by the Franklin estate. Aretha Franklin married for the first time when she was only 19 years old with Ted White. Aretha Franklin's first husband, Ted White, was allegedly abusive. Aretha Franklin's Granddaughter Performs Iconic Singer's 'Ain't No Way' for 'American Idol' Audition. Her mother Barbara left early on and had died by the time Franklin reached her tenth birthday. [70] Originally released in June 1972, Amazing Grace sold more than twomillion copies,[71] and is one of best-selling gospel albums of all time. New York: Little Brown & Company. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke all became friends of C. L. Franklin, as well. The show's producers, desperate to fill the time slot, approached Franklin with their dilemma. How did Aretha Franklin start her career in music? At 19, Franklin married Ted White, and had a son with him, named Ted "Teddy" White, . The tribute concluded with a rendition of her 1968 hit, "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)", performed by Fantasia Barrino-Taylor, Andra Day and Yolanda Adams. "Ted won because Ted could concentrate completely on Aretha while Daddy couldnt.". There were also headlining-grabbing incidents during the period, including when Franklin received a reckless driving charge in Detroit for running two cars off a road in 1968, as well as when she was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly trying to hit two police officers after a traffic infringement in Michigan. Just under 10 years after her turbulent first marriage to former manager Ted White came to an end, the Queen of Soul married partner Glynn Turman. [158], In May 2013, Franklin canceled two performances because of an undisclosed medical treatment. Franklin grew up in Detroit, Michigan. In addition to being an actor, Turman worked as a producer, writer, and director throughout his career. [8] In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked Franklin number one on its list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Seated behind the piano, wearing a black fur coat and Lions stocking cap, Franklin gave a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that lasted more than four minutes and featured a host of improvisations. Without targeting any particular genre, she sang everything from Broadway ballads to youth-oriented rhythm and blues. From powerful, defiant .css-9cezh6{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#E61957;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-9cezh6:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}love songs like Think to celebratory records (You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin was singularly gifted at capturing the gamut of relationships in her work.