In Memoriam: Aretha Franklin

Written by Jon Williams

The music world lost a legend last week with the passing of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. She was 76.

While Aretha’s mother passed at a young age, her father was a well-known minister, giving her exposure to influential gospel singers of the time, including Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward, both of whom served as role models. Aretha began touring and performing with her father when she was just 12, and her first single was released when she was 14. She stuck with gospel until she was 18, at which time she moved to New York with hopes of breaking into the pop music world. Her first secular album, Aretha: With the Ray Bryant Combo, was released early in 1961, just before her 20^th birthday.

The rest, as they say, is history. She went on to have one of the great careers of all time, recording such iconic, instantly recognizable hits as “Respect,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “I Say a Little Prayer,” among so many others. In 2008, music authority Rolling Stone named her the greatest singer of all time. With a career that spanned more than five decades, her influence is legendary, inspiring generations of singers and musicians with her talent and powerful performances. Some of these notable names include Whitney Houston, Beyonce, and Jennifer Hudson, who Franklin herself chose to play her in an upcoming biopic.

We join the music and pop culture worlds in mourning the monumental loss of Aretha Franklin. SmartBrowse her name on our website to find a number of collections of her music, as well as a few related audiobooks and films (including her incredible performance in the classic comedy The Blues Brothers). Patrons can also check out her wonderful music, including a broad collection of original albums, on hoopla digital.