Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was minister. In 1960, at the age of 18, she embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records but achieving only modest success. After signing to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as
"Respect",
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman",
"Spanish Harlem" and
"Think".
By the end of the 1960s she was being called "the Queen of Soul". Franklin recorded acclaimed albums such as
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967),
Lady Soul (1968),
Young, Gifted and Black (1972) and
Amazing Grace (1972) before experiencing problems with her record company by the mid-1970s. After her father was shot in 1979, Franklin left Atlantic and signed with Arista Records, finding success with the albums
Jump to It (1982) and
Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985), and her part in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.
In 1998, Franklin received international acclaim for singing the opera aria
"Nessun Dorma" at the Grammy Awards that year, replacing Luciano Pavarotti. Later that year, she scored her final Top 40 song with
"A Rose Is Still a Rose".
Franklin recorded 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries, 17 top ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries and 20 number-one R&B singles, becoming the most charted female artist in the chart's history. Franklin's other well-known hits include
"Rock Steady", "Jump to It", "Freeway of Love", "Who's Zoomin' Who", "Chain of Fools", "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)", "Something He Can Feel", "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (with George Michael), and a remake of The Rolling Stones song
"Jumpin' Jack Flash".
She won 18 Grammy Awards, including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance from 1968 through 1975, and is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide.
Franklin received numerous honors throughout her career including a 1987 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in which she became the first female performer to be inducted. She was inducted to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In August 2012, Franklin was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Franklin is listed in at least two all-time lists on Rolling Stone magazine, including the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Billboard Top 40 hits:
Border Song (Holy Moses)/You And Me - Peaked at #37 on 12.19.1970
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody - Peaked at #37 on 11.27.1961
Master Of Eyes (The Deepness Of Your Eyes) - Peaked at #33 on 3.31.1973
My Song - Peaked at #31 on 1.4.1969
I Can't See Myself Leaving You - Peaked at #28 on 5.24.1969
Something He Can Feel - Peaked at #28 on 8.14.1976
Jimmy Lee - Peaked at #28 on 2.7.1987
All The Kings Horses - Peaked at #26 on 7.8.1972
A Rose Is Still A Rose - Peaked at #26 on 5.2.1998
Willing To Forgive - Peaked at #26 on 7.16.1994
Jump To It - Peaked at #24 on 10.9.1982
Spirit In The Dark - Peaked at #23 on 6.27.1970
Another Night - Peaked at #22 on 3.22.1986
Jumpin' Jack Flash - Peaked at #21 on 11.8.1986
Angel - Peaked at #20 on 9.1.1973
The Weight - Peaked at #19 on 3.22.1969
You're All I Need To Get By - Peaked at #19 on 4.3.1971
I'm In Love - Peaked at #19 on 6.1.1974
Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves - Peaked at #18 on 12.7.1985
Eleanor Rigby - Peaked at #17 on 12.13.1969
Ain't No Way - Peaked at #16 on 5.4.1968
Through The Storm - Peaked at #16 on 5.27.1989
See Saw - Peaked at #14 on 12.14.1968
Share Your Love With Me - Peaked at #13 on 9.13.1969
Call Me/Son Of A Preacher Man - Peaked at #13 on 4.4.1970
Don't Play That Song - Peaked at #11 on 9.19.1970
I Say A Little Prayer - Peaked at #10 on 10.5.1968
Rock Steady - Peaked at #9 on 11.27.1971
I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) - Peaked at #9 on 4.15.1967
A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like) - Peaked at #8 on 11.4.1967
Think - Peaked at #7 on 6.15.1968
Who's Zoomin' Who - Peaked at #7 on 11.30.1985
The House That Jack Built - Peaked at #6 on 9.7.1968
Bridge Over Troubled Water/Brand New Me - Peaked at #6 on 6.5.1971
Day Dreaming - Peaked at #5 on 5.6.1972
(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone - Peaked at #5 on 3.30.1968
Baby I Love You - Peaked at #4 on 9.9.1967
Freeway Of Love - Peaked at #3 on 8.31.1985
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Peaked at #3 on 2.23.1974
Chain Of Fools - Peaked at #2 on 1.20.1968
Spanish Harlem - Peaked at #2 on 9.11.1971
Respect - Peaked at #1 on 6.3.1967
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Peaked at #1 on 4.18.1987