At the time of its release, Franklin who died in 2018 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76 was married to her first husband Ted White, who also became her manager. She married C.L. Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 - August 16, 2018) was an American soul and R&B singer. Her family always had her back, with Franklin saying her dad was not judgmental, narrow or scolding about her youthful pregnancies. But Franklin's inner circle was not so fond of him. A 1968 Time cover story on Franklin titled "The Sound of Soul" delves into the trauma she experienced, reportedly at the hands of Ted White. [21][22] His fame led to his home being visited by various celebrities. Aretha told me she could use it on one condition: only if I drove. [118] When Angela Davis was jailed in 1970, Franklin told Jet: "Angela Davis must go free Black people will be free. Perhaps through all the talk, it is Franklins silence that speaks the loudest. [60] In 1968, Franklin issued the top-selling albums Lady Soul and Aretha Now, which included some of her most popular hit singles, including "Chain of Fools", "Ain't No Way", "Think", and "I Say a Little Prayer". Speaking to Billboard, his daughter, Tiki Wilkerson, talked about her father's connection to Franklin. [40], In April 2021, Aretha Franklin was featured in National Geographic magazine and in the previous month, the society began airing the third season of the television series Genius about her life and career. [56] Franklin scored two additional top-ten singles in 1967, "Baby I Love You" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". Her father was a Baptist minister and circuit preacher originally from Shelby, Mississippi, while her mother was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. 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). [53], Producer Jerry Wexler convinced her to move to Atlantic Records. Cecil Franklin. He counted White as an enemy. As a civil-rights-minded nation lent greater support to black urban music, Franklin was crowned the Queen of Soul. Respect, her 1967 cover of Otis Reddings spirited composition, became an anthem operating on personal, sexual, and racial levels. Her parents separated when she was six, and Franklin remained with her father in Detroit. [193] The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded her a Grammy Legend Award in 1991, then the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. Take a look back at Aretha Franklin's life, as she tells it through a . In case you never noticed, the singer always had her . She fooled around and got with a man like Ted White, but thats the kind of dude Aretha likes, the dude that flies fancy, singer Mavis Staples told Vanity Fair. [41] During this period, Franklin would be coached by choreographer Cholly Atkins to prepare for her pop performances. He was kind of abusive., As for Franklin herself, all she ever said even in her very own autobiography was I didnt realize I was in way over my head, calling White a take-charge kind of guy., That taking charge seemed to overshadow both her personal and professional lives, exploding in a violent incident between White and producer Rick Hall that, according to Hall, turned into a full-blown fist fight., READ MORE: Inside the Lifelong Friendship of Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson. (1985). American history wells up when Aretha sings. [130] Her youngest son, Kecalf Cunningham, was born in April 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham.[131]. They were like best friends. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Aretha was only 14 when Songs of Faith was recorded. "He was a fixture at the clubs. Franklin and White divorced in 1969, and had one child, Teddy Richards, a successful musician who played guitar in his mother's band. At Atlantic, Franklin returned to her gospel-blues roots, and the results were sensational. [179] Thousands then paid their respects during the public lying-in-repose at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Aretha is the kind of girl, youve got to love her hard, pianist Teddy Harris said. [15] After the separation, Aretha recalled seeing her mother in Buffalo during the summer, and Barbara Franklin frequently visited her children in Detroit. Her mother Barbara left early on and had died by the time Franklin reached her tenth birthday. [206][207] Asteroid 249516 Aretha was named in her honor in 2014. The album sold well over a million copies thanks to the hits "Freeway of Love", the title track, and "Another Night". [113] Franklin's voice was described as being a "powerful mezzo-soprano voice". In 1960 Franklin transitioned from sacred to secular music. Birthday: March 25, 1942 ( Aries) Born In: Memphis, Tennessee, United States 303 119 Pianists #14 Rhythm & Blues Singers #5 Gospel Singers #2 Quick Facts Also Known As: Aretha Louise Franklin Died At Age: 76 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Glynn Turman (m. 1978-1984), Ted White (m. 1961-1969) father: Clarence LaVaughn Franklin mother: Barbara Siggers 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. She was delivered at her family's home located at 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. [46] By the end of 1961, Franklin was named as a "new-star female vocalist" in DownBeat magazine. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Franklin's nephew Vaughan complained of Williams: "He spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her. Another woman performed at several Florida venues under the name Aretha Franklin. Although she was born in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha Franklin spent most of her early years in Detroit, Michigan, with her mother, a gospel singer, and her father, a Baptist minister. [98], In December 2015, Franklin gave an acclaimed performance of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors during the section for honoree Carole King, who co-wrote the song. [115] Critic Randy Lewis assessed her skills as a pianist as "magic" and "inspirational". The next seven years' achievements were less impressive. C. L. Franklin, 69, Dies After 5 Years in Coma", "Aretha Talks About Men, Marriage, Music & Motherhood", "Aretha Franklin Returns With Soulful CD, 'So Damn Happy', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aretha_Franklin&oldid=1138350111, This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 05:30. [65] She appeared on the cover of Time magazine in June.[66]. 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.". [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. Among the visitors were gospel musicians Clara Ward, James Cleveland, and early Caravans members Albertina Walker and Inez Andrews. Franklin's movie about her life, titled. [129] He provided guitar backing for his mother's band during live concerts. 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. She would go on to record the selection and perform it live several more times in the years to come. There were plans for her to record an album produced by Danger Mouse, who was replaced with Babyface and Don Was when Danger Mouse left the project. [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. Franklin knew Ted was something of a shady character and thought the association would hurt Aretha. Producer Harvey Fuqua had harsher words: Anyone who didnt see Ted White as a straight-up pimp had to be deaf, dumb and blind, he told Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin biographer David Ritz. However, just a few weeks later, the engagement ended. [107][108][109] At the Ravinia Festival on September 3, 2017, she gave her last full concert. However, according to Rolling Stone, "they weren't as terrible as some claimed, they were pro forma and never reached for new heights". [125] Franklin did not like to discuss her early pregnancies with interviewers. She already knew him. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. She denied that the ailment had anything to do with pancreatic cancer, as had been reported. At the time of their marriage, Franklin had four children and Turman had three of his own. 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.. I knew Ted White, as did most entertainers in Detroit, Aretha's sister, the late singer Erma Franklin, said in the book. [40] The 1991 album What You See is What You Sweat flopped on the charts. During the phone conversation with MSNBC, Turman reflected on Aretha's life. [132][133] She had actually seen White the first time at a party held at her house in 1954. She apparently wanted to pivot from gospel to pop, and White was connected to the world of the former. Think (1968), which Franklin wrote herself, also had more than one meaning. Aretha's second husband is actor Glynn Turman. Franklin rarely talked about her family and personal life, and for decades, Clarence Franklin's father has been . ", "Aretha Franklin inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015", "National Women's Hall of Fame Virtual Induction Series Inaugural Event December 10, 2020", "Sister Ree's Scrapbook, An Aretha Franklin Photo Gallery 13", "Aretha Franklin Biography and Interview", "Inez Andrews, Gospel Singer, Dies at 83", "Aretha Franklin: Lifelong commitment to Detroit", "Pickwick Group Ltd Aretha Franklin Songs Of Faith", "Obituary: Aretha Franklin, 16 August 2018", "Aretha Franklin: Remembering Her Many Ties To Chicago; She Became 'Queen Of Soul' Here", "Quincy Jones on Aretha Franklin: 'You Will Reign as the Queen Forever', "Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, Dead at 76", "Aretha Franklin Was the Defining Voice of the 20th Century", "Show 52 The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. 3 Suspicion was drawn when the fake Franklin charged only a fraction of the expected rate to perform. She was going to make up for that with Glynn, Franklin-Corbett said. Franklin was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1994, recipient of the National Medal of Arts in 1999, recipient of the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award presented by Awards Council member Coretta Scott King,[194][195][196] and was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 by then President George W. "[40], Also in 1980, Franklin gave a command performance at London's Royal Albert Hall in front of Queen Elizabeth. [134] After a contentious marriage that was marred by domestic abuse, Franklin separated from White in 1968 and divorced him in 1969. My family supported me in every way, she wrote in her book. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. She said, 'L.C., I need you to do me a favor. After her parents separated, Franklin remained with her father in Detroit. The Queen of Soul. Before meeting Aretha Franklin READ MORE: Aretha Franklin: The Powerful Meaning Behind Her Equality Anthem "Respect". "American history wells up when Aretha sings", President Obama explained in response to her performance of "A Natural Woman" at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. [72] The live performances were filmed for a concert film directed by Sydney Pollack, but due to synching problems and Franklin's own attempts to prevent the film's distribution after Hollywood refused to promote a dark-skinned black woman as a movie star at the time, the film's release was only realized by producer Alan Elliott in November 2018. Aretha was married to Ted White in 1961, when the singer was 19. In 1987, she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They married six months after meeting While Franklin was still a teen when she met White, she was also a mother of two, having given birth to her first son Clarence when she was 12 and Edward. Grant Rindner is a culture and music journalist in New York. Her album The Gospel Sound of Aretha Franklin (1956) captures the electricity of her performances as a 14-year-old. Theres nothing he wouldn't do for her. White is portrayed by actor Malcolm Barrett in Genius: Aretha. Franklin's life is the subject of high-profile projects starring Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson. 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. In 1998, Franklin returned to the Top 40 with the Lauryn Hill-produced song "A Rose Is Still a Rose"; later, she released an album with the same name. Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson and former husband Glynn Turman visited her on her deathbed. Although the fan tributes were later taken down, the subway system's operator, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, placed permanent black-and-white stickers with the word "Respect" next to the "Franklin" name signs in each station. Franklin married Ted White in 1961 but divorced him in 1969. He served as her manager, and they had a son together, her third. In 1985, inspired by a desire to have a "younger sound" in her music, Who's Zoomin' Who? [79] The following year, she released "Get It Right", produced by Luther Vandross.[80]. New York: Little Brown & Company. [91] To complete her Arista obligations, Franklin issued the duets compilation album Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen in 2007. She signed with Columbia Records in New York and released her first single, Today I Sing the Blues, in 1960. Columbia placed her with a variety of producers who marketed her to both adults (If Ever You Should Leave Me, 1963) and teens (Soulville, 1964). She released a gospel album, The Gospel Sound of Aretha Franklin, in 1956, at age 14. 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! She channeled a world of pain into a sound all her own, but till the end,. Franklin was married twice, and had four children, before passing away in 2018 at the age of 76. She called him all the time. [34] [208] The next year, Billboard named her the greatest female R&B artist of all time. [237] The season, starring Cynthia Erivo as Franklin, was aired in March 2021. She asked to hear Pavarotti's rehearsal recording, and after listening, agreed that she could sing it in the tenor range that the orchestra was prepared to play in. He was a handsome man with a smooth manner and excellent taste. In the early 1970s she triumphed at the Fillmore West in San Francisco before an audience of flower children and on whirlwind tours of Europe and Latin America. Between 1955 and 1970, Franklin had sons Clarence, Edward, Teddy, and Kecalf, all of whom ultimately followed their mother into . [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". But one of the wills states that Clarence's father was Edward Jordan Sr., with whom she also had her second son, Edward, in 1957. Years after divorcing White, Aretha Franklin married actor Glenn Turman in 1978. "I knew Ted White, as did most entertainers in Detroit," Aretha's sister, the late singer Erma Franklin, said in the book. ", According to Respect, the late Detroit-based soul singer Harvey Fuqua was critical of White, though Ritz noted that "in Aretha's [own] book, there is not a hint of White's shady activities.". [62][63][64] Franklin toured outside the US for the first time in May, including an appearance at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, where she played to a near-hysterical audience who covered the stage with flower petals. [30] In 1956, J.V.B. In 2014, Franklin was signed under RCA Records, controller of the Arista catalog and a sister label to Columbia via Sony Music Entertainment, and worked with Clive Davis. [39][40], After turning 18, Franklin confided to her father that she aspired to follow Sam Cooke in recording pop music, and moved to New York. [136] Franklins father and idol, described as unorthodox on every level, knowingly preyed on his pre-teen congregants. At 19, Franklin married Ted White, and had a son with him, named Ted "Teddy" White, . [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 2019 she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation "[f]or her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades". Glynn Turman Jr. was murdered in 1986 by Henry Eugene . According to music producer Quincy Jones, while Franklin was still young, Dinah Washington let him know that "Aretha was the 'next one'". It sold over 500,000 copies, earning gold certification. The album of the same name was released after the single. Her most famous songs include Respect (1967), I Say a Little Prayer (1968), Chain of Fools (1967), and Until You Come Back to Me (Thats What Im Gonna Do) (1973). Franklin continued having R&B success with songs such as "Until You Come Back to Me" and "I'm in Love", but by 1975 her albums and songs were no longer top sellers. Aretha Franklin died at 9.50am on Thursday aged 76, surrounded by family after battle with pancreatic cancer Glynn Turman, who was married to Franklin from 1978 to 1984, was joined by Stevie . They were engaged in March of 1978. Her central influence, Clara Ward of the renowned Ward Singers, was a family friend. Aretha's father, Reverend C.L. [151] She again lost weight in the early 1990s, before gaining some back. He added having to spend time together was very moving. 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. At the age of 19, the future Queen of Soul wed her managerand the seven-year marriage was filled with dark moments. Despite his disapproval, the two were married six months after meeting in 1961; she was 19 and he was reportedly 30. [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. Franklin grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Per David Ritzs Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin, they first met in 1954 at a party, and White had a reputation as something of a smooth operator. [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. For the next half-dozen years, she became a hit maker of unprecedented proportions; she was Lady Soul.. [26][27], Just after her mother's death, Franklin began singing solos at New Bethel, debuting with the hymn "Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me". [221] She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Case Western Reserve University 2011[222] and Wayne State University in 1990 and an honorary Doctor of Law degree by BethuneCookman University in 1975. [54][55] Wexler decided that he wanted to take advantage of her gospel background; his philosophy in general was to encourage a "tenacious form of rhythm & blues that became increasingly identified as soul". [103][104] Dropping the coat was symbolic according to "Rolling Stone": it "echoed back to those times when gospel queens would toss their furs on top of the coffins of other gospel queens a gesture that honored the dead but castigated death itself". [47] In 1962, Columbia issued two more albums, The Electrifying Aretha Franklin and The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin,[48][49] the latter of which reached number 69 on the Billboard chart. Franklin's follow-up albums for Atlantic, including Sweet Passion (1977), Almighty Fire (1978) and La Diva (1979), bombed on the charts,[citation needed] and in 1979 Franklin left the company. [106] It peaked at number five on the Billboard Top Classical Albums chart before her death and rose to number two after her death. As a songwriter, White wrote or co-wrote songs for Franklin, including "I Wonder (Where You Are Tonight . [61] On February 16, Franklin was honored with a day named for her and was greeted by longtime friend Martin Luther King Jr., who gave her the SCLC Drum Beat Award for Musicians two months before his death. On an ABC promo aired on July 27, 2010, announcing Franklin and, Rev. Aretha had married actor Glynn Turman ("Peyton Place," "Cooley High") in 1978 but, according to ABC7 News, "the difficulty of maintaining a long-distance relationship" with Franklin in. [185][186] At Franklin's request she was eulogized by Rev. Aretha Franklin was married twice in her lifetime. [19] She also attended public school in Detroit, going through her freshman year at Northern High School, but dropping out during her sophomore year. The "all-star" group performed gospel songs, including renditions from Franklin's 1972 album, Amazing Grace. Aretha Franklin married Ted White in 1961 at age 19, and he served as her manager up until 1969, when the two got divorced. And Aretha Franklin knew that better than anyone. That's why, when she sits down at a piano and sings 'A Natural Woman,' she can move me to tearsthe same way that Ray Charles's version of 'America the Beautiful' will always be in my view the most patriotic piece of music ever performedbecause it captures the fullness of the American experience, the view from the bottom as well as the top, the good and the bad, and the possibility of synthesis, reconciliation, transcendence. 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. [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. 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. [231][232], At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, the ceremony was ended with a memorial tribute to the life and career of Franklin. 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. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke all became friends of C. L. Franklin, as well. "They loved each other. Wayans has two children with Angela Zackery: 21-year-old daughter . The CBS soap actor then took to Twitter to share it with the world. [233], On January 29, 2018, Gary Graff confirmed that Jennifer Hudson would play Franklin in an upcoming biopic. after they . 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. The album yielded Franklin's final top-40 hit of the decade, "Something He Can Feel", which also peaked at number one on the R&B chart. [45] Mostly produced by Clyde Otis, Franklin's Columbia recordings saw her performing in diverse genres, such as standards, vocal jazz, blues, doo-wop and rhythm and blues. Aretha and actor Glynn Turman married on April 11, 1978, at her father's church. Donald and Aretha eventually split up and by 1961, she and Mr. Theodore Ted White were married. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Franklin's movie about her life, titled Respect starring Jennifer Hudson, hits theaters on August 13, 2021. [159] Further concert cancellations followed in the summer[160][161][162] and fall. [93] In 2011, under her own label, Aretha's Records, she issued the album Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love. [25] Ward also served as a role model to the young Aretha. [126] Both children took her family name. During that time, Franklin immersed herself in getting her career back on the ascent, and Respect frames Turman as having a difficult time feeling like the less notable member of a celebrity couple. Trying to grow up is hurting, you know, she said. Ritz David. [43], In November 1966, Franklin's Columbia recording contract expired; at that time, she owed the company money because record sales had not met expectations. Franklin's half-brother Vaughn died in late 2002. Following the surgery, Franklin lost 85 lbs. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 and signed with Arista Records. And she doesnt want any reference to it., But now and then, she would drop hints that being the Queen of Soul was not easy on her own soul. Franklin maintained a residence there until her death. [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. It took someone that slick to get a great talent like Aretha in his stable.. By 19, Aretha married her manager, Ted White Snr, who allegedly introduced the singer to weed and alcohol.