ARTIST

Aretha Franklin

She's unquestionably the Queen Of Soul--or as one of her greatest Atlantic LPs proclaimed on its cover, "Lady Soul." In her own way, Franklin was as important to the development of black music as James Brown has been throughout his career.

Born and raised in the Baptist church, Franklin was the daughter of the late Detroit preacher, Reverend C.L. Franklin, one of the most charismatic ministers of the black church who was said to be blessed with a "million dollar voice." Aretha was singing in her dad's church when she was just short of being a toddler, and she became something of a gospel music phenomenon, with many proclaiming that she was poised to become the next Mahalia Jackson. After moving to New York City in the early '60s, she was signed by the great...
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