Aretha Franklin Turns 56
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is celebrating her 56th birthday today.
Best known for her versions of such classic soul hits as "Respect," "(You Make
Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman" and "Rescue Me,"
Franklin's gospel-based singing has influenced such artists
as Chaka Khan, Martha Walsh, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Brandy. A
living legend, Franklin is still putting out relevant music and
continually uses her gospel training to astound audiences
around North America.
Born the daughter of famed minister C.L. Franklin in Memphis, Tenn.,
Franklin and her family made a name for themselves on the gospel scene very
early in her life, virtually becoming one of the most prominent families in
Detroit in the mid-'50s based on their powerful Sunday morning
performances. Franklin's earliest -- and some would argue most powerful --
recordings were of her singing gospel in her father's church as a
teen-ager, but she got her first taste of fame when she moved to New York in the
early '60s. She recorded a number of albums for Columbia
during this time but struggled to find the success that she would eventually
receive. After signing with Atlantic in 1966, Franklin began recording the songs
that would make her the legend she is today: "I
Never Loved A Man (the Way I Love You)," "Respect," "Baby I Love You,"
"Chain of Fools," "Think" and "Dr. Feelgood," among countless others. By
the end of the '60s, Franklin was widely identified as the undisputed Queen
of Soul. In spite of a turbulent personal life, Franklin remained a chart-topper
throughout the '70s, scoring hits with such songs as "Spanish Harlem,"
"Rock Steady," "Day Dreaming" and "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What
I'm Gonna Do)."
The late '70s found Franklin performing in dinner theaters and casinos
while recording sporadically. Her father was shot by burglars in his home
in the early '80s, and Franklin returned to Detroit to be by his side.
Franklin returned to the pop scene after her father passed away in 1984,
taking to the studio to record 1985's Who's Zoomin' Who?. A huge
comeback for her, it featured such guests as the Eurythmics,
Clarence Clemons and Carlos Santana and spawned the hit singles "Freeway
of Love" and "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves." Franklin continued to record
and tour throughout the '80s and '90s, scoring occasional
hits such as the danceable "A Deeper Love" in 1994. In 1987, she became the
first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Franklin's
latest release, A Rose Is Still A Rose, is currently in stores and
features the production work of such artists as Sean "Puffy" Combs and
Jermaine Dupri.
Other birthdays: Elton John, 51; Nick Lowe, 49; Steve "Spiny" Norman
(Spandau Ballet), 38; and Jeff Healey, 32.