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Aretha FranklinSinger
Date of Birth: 25.03.1943
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin, the greatest singer in history, is rightfully called the "Queen of Soul." The renowned singer rose to fame in the late 1960s and captivated not only the United States but also many other countries around the world with her voice. Throughout her life, Franklin received numerous awards: she became a multiple Grammy Award winner in various categories and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by then US President Barack Obama. Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, into the family of Baptist minister and preacher Clarence LaVaughn "C. L." Franklin and pianist and vocalist Barbara Franklin. C.L. and Barbara had children from previous relationships, as well as four children together, including Aretha. When Aretha turned two, the Franklins moved to Buffalo, New York, and three years later, the family relocated to Detroit, Michigan. Barbara and C.L.'s marriage was unhappy due to C.L.'s frequent infidelity, and they divorced in 1948. After the divorce, Barbara returned to Buffalo with her son, Aretha's half-brother Vaughn. She frequently visited the children who remained in Detroit with their father, and they would also come to her in Buffalo for the summer. Barbara Franklin passed away on March 7, 1952 from a heart attack. After the woman's death, Aretha's grandmother Rachel, as well as singer Mahalia Jackson, who later became Aretha's mentor, helped with raising the children. Lessons with Mahalia helped Franklin learn to play the piano by ear. The girl attended Detroit Public Schools and Northern High School, where she only completed one year.
Early Career
C.L. Franklin became widely known for his emotional sermons. Among the celebrities who attended his performances were gospel singers Clara Ward, James Cleveland, Albertina Walker, and Inez Andrews, preacher and activist Martin Luther King Jr., singers Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke, as well as many other public figures. Clara Ward had a romantic relationship with C.L. for a long time and served as an example for young Aretha. Although Franklin loved and respected Clara, she preferred to perceive her relationship with C.L. as a friendship. Aretha Franklin began her singing career at a young age, immediately after her mother's death. She sang in her father's congregation at New Bethel Baptist Church, making her debut with the song "Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me" When she turned twelve, C.L. became her manager and started taking his daughter on trips to various churches, where Aretha would get the opportunity to sing. Her father facilitated her first professional contract with J.V.B. Records. Franklin released her first single, "Never Grow Old," in 1956 at the age of 14. In the same year, her debut album "Songs of Faith" was released. Her career developed rapidly, and music experts predicted a grand future for C.L.'s daughter. While making her first steps in the gospel music genre, Aretha often visited the family of her colleague Mavis Staples, who was three years older than Franklin.
Musical Success and Personal Life
As soon as the young gospel star turned eighteen, she informed her father of her intention to move to New York to follow in the footsteps of Sam Cooke and try herself in pop music. Mr. Franklin supported his daughter, helped her with the move, and in 1960, he secured a contract for Aretha with the popular label Columbia Records. Under the auspices of this label, Aretha Franklin released famous songs such as "Won't Be Long," "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody," "Runnin' Out of Fools," "One Step Ahead," and many other hits. Her style also changed, and she began performing in the R&B and pop genres. In 1967, Franklin changed labels again, signing a contract with Atlantic Records. From the late 60s to the late 70s, Franklin released hits such as "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," "Respect," "Ain't No Way," "Something He Can Feel," and more. Her last studio album, "Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics," was released in 2014. On January 20, 2009, Aretha performed the song "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and in 2011, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded to individuals who have made "a significant contribution to the public and cultural life of the United States and the world."
Aretha Franklin became a mother for the first time at the age of twelve. According to sources, the father of her son, born on January 28, 1955, was a certain Donald Burk, whom Franklin knew from school. She named her son Clarence after her father. On January 22, 1957, Aretha gave birth to her second son, Edward, whom she named after the boy's father, Edward Jordan. The singer did not like to discuss her early pregnancies in interviews. While Franklin was building her music career, her grandmother Rachel and her sister Erma took care of Clarence and Edward. In February 1964, her third son, Teddy White Jr., better known as Teddy Richards, was born. Teddy played guitar for his mother's concerts for a long time. Richards is the only son of the singer born in wedlock; his father was Aretha's husband at the time, Ted White. Aretha was married twice, first to Ted White (married in 1961, divorced in 1969), and then to actor Glynn Turman (married in 1978, divorced in 1984).
Later Years and Legacy
On June 10, 1979, when Aretha was performing at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, her father was shot at close range. He was at his home in Detroit and was injured during an attempted robbery. C.L. was taken to Henry Ford Hospital, where he spent six months in a coma. After that, Franklin was brought to his home and placed under round-the-clock care. C.L. Franklin passed away on July 27, 1984, at the New Light Nursing Home in Detroit. Throughout her life, Aretha Franklin faced health problems and destructive habits. In 1974, thanks to a diet, Aretha lost 40 pounds, and she lost even more weight in the early 1990s. Once Franklin quit smoking in 1992, she began to gain weight. In 2010, Franklin canceled several concerts to undergo surgery to remove a tumor. Aretha denied that the operation had anything to do with pancreatic cancer, as many suspected. On August 13, 2018, the legendary singer felt unwell in her home at the Riverfront Towers complex in Detroit. In her final days, Aretha was surrounded by her friends and family. She passed away on August 16 at the age of 76. The cause of death was neuroendocrine pancreatic tumor.
