“Her voice is one of the great natural instruments I’ve ever heard.”
That’s what Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones said of Aretha’s voice. It’s a voice we’ve all heard. And no matter what style of music you prefer, when Aretha Franklin opened her mouth, we all paid attention. Whether running down her exhaustive list of chart-topping singles, attempting to keep track of the steady stream of highly dignified awards she’s collected through her 60-plus-year career, or reminiscing about her media appearances that always brought down the house, everyone at Sweetwater was in awe of the Queen of Soul, and overcome with sorrow at her passing.
It all started in church
Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1942. Her father, the famed and charismatic Baptist preacher C. L. Franklin, moved the family to Detroit, Michigan, when she was still young. There she grew up performing with her father’s ministry at New Bethel Baptist Church, singing with the choir and quickly becoming a featured soloist. But it wasn’t long before she wanted to take her angelic voice into the world of pop and soul. Her father, being her biggest fan, supported the decision and helped secure her first record deal with Columbia Records.
Aretha arrives
Franklin’s first taste of commercial success came with her first single to chart, “Won’t Be Long.” But this was just a glimpse of what was to come. After a 6-year run with Columbia, Franklin signed with Atlantic Records in 1967, kick-starting one of the most important strings of recording in American history.
Knowing the talent they had on their hands, Atlantic producer Tom Dowd took Franklin to the now-legendary Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Along with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Franklin committed “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” to tape. The single was an immediate success, rocketing up the charts to #1 on the Billboard R&B charts and becoming Franklin’s first top-10 single on the Hot 100. The Queen of Soul was born.
The Queen of Soul
Those sessions in Muscle Shoals laid the groundwork for a career that literally changed the sound of gospel, blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and soul. After the success of “I Never Loved a Man,” Franklin quickly followed it with her next single, “Respect,” as well as her debut album for the Atlantic label, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. The album shot to the top of the R&B charts while reaching #2 on the Hot 100 chart.
What followed was a string of albums and singles that cemented Franklin as the preeminent soul diva. Her 1968 albums Lady Soul and Aretha Now alone supplied her repertoire with such monumental singles as “Chain of Fools,” “Think,” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” But chart positions were far from the only honor earned. The late ’60s also saw Franklin collect the first of her massive collection of Grammy Awards, as well as receive the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) Drum Beat Award for Musicians, presented by her personal friend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtBbyglq37E
Royalty reborn
Franklin’s success continued into the early 1970s. Yet with the advent of disco and the shifting sound of soul and funk, the decade wasn’t her strongest. But no one could keep that voice down long. After leaving Atlantic for Arista Records under the guidance of music mogul Clive Davis, Franklin’s career was resurrected in spectacular fashion.
Aretha began popping up everywhere at once. Her famous appearance in The Blues Brothers, a show-stopping performance before Queen Elizabeth at Royal Albert Hall, and yet more Grammy Awards and nominations helped propel sales of her albums Jump To It and Who’s Zoomin’ Who — the latter becoming Franklin’s first platinum album. The 1980s also found her collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, from jazz musician George Benson to pop superstar George Michael, and even Mick Jagger and Keith Richards on a cover of the Rolling Stones’ own “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
She wasn’t done yet
By the time the ’90s rolled around, Franklin was well established as the quintessential diva, in all the best possible ways. She had earned massive record sales, built up a growing collection of awards and accolades, had countless songs ingrained in the minds and memories of American music lovers, and had a seemingly ageless voice that was recognizable from the first note.
It was the freedom that accompanied her status that allowed Franklin to branch out into new territories, none of which were as heralded as her last-minute standing in for operatic superstar, Luciano Pavarotti. In performing his signature aria, “Nessun Dorma,” at the 1998 Grammy Awards, she was able to come to the aid of her friend Pavarotti, who had to bow out for medical reasons at the last minute, proving the Queen of Soul’s voice was even more powerful than many of us knew.
The iconic performances kept coming. The American treasure belted the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XL in her hometown of Detroit; President George W. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the highest honor for a civilian of the United States; and she graced the country with “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” at President Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony.
All the while, Franklin continued her successful recording career, releasing solo albums This Christmas, Aretha, and the covers album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics. All the way to the end, the Queen of Soul never stopped singing.
Precious few musicians have caused the seismic impact of Aretha Franklin. Her list of accomplishments is astounding. Yet what can’t be measured is what her voice has meant to countless people young and old, across cultural lines and belief systems. It’s more than a singer’s voice, it’s more than Franklin’s instrument, it was a force that affected everyone who heard it. And after the passing of the Queen of Soul, that voice continues to leave this world a profoundly better place for all of us.
Here at Sweetwater, we’re blessed to be a family of fantastic musicians of all genres and styles. And every one of us sheds a tear today as we mourn the loss of one of the true giants of music. Though the voice that changed popular music may now be silent, Aretha Franklin’s legacy has assured the world of plenty of music and memories to last for the centuries to come.