Aretha Franklin

NAME Aretha Louise Franklin

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Known as the "Queen of Soul," she was a legendary American singer, songwriter, and pianist, famous for her extraordinary vocal range and emotionally powerful performances.

BIRTH Born March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Aretha was the daughter of Clarence LaVaughn "C. L." Franklin, a renowned Baptist minister and civil rights activist known as "the man with the million-dollar voice," and Barbara Siggers Franklin, an accomplished gospel singer and pianist. Her father was pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit and a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. Both parents had children from previous relationships in addition to their four children together.

CHILDHOOD Franklin's early years were marked by upheaval and musical immersion. The family moved from Memphis to Buffalo when she was two, then permanently to Detroit when she was five. Her parents' troubled marriage ended in separation in 1948 due to her father's infidelities. Her mother died of a heart attack in 1952, just before Aretha's 10th birthday. She was raised by her grandmother Rachel, various church members, and visiting gospel luminaries like Mahalia Jackson. 

The Franklin home was a gathering place for civil rights leaders and prominent musicians including Martin Luther King Jr., Sam Cooke, and Clara Ward.

EDUCATION  Aretha Franklin and famed Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier both attended Hutchins Junior High School in Detroit. Aretha was a year younger than Dozier. He has recounted in interviews that he saw Aretha perform at her father's church on Sundays, mesmerized by her talent even as a young student. (1)

Franklin began her first year at Northern High School in Detroit, but dropped out during her second year to focus on her music career.

Aretha Franklin was an autodidact who learned to play piano by ear. She had a brief and informal connection to the Juilliard School, which some sources mention, but she did not complete a degree there. Her true education came from the gospel church and the musical luminaries who surrounded her.

CAREER RECORD Started as a gospel singer, recording her first album at age 14.

Signed with Columbia Records at 18, later rising to stardom with Atlantic Records in 1966, where she recorded defining hits: “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “Think,” “A Natural Woman.”

Continued success into 1980s-2000s with hits like “Freeway of Love,” and collaborations with artists like George Michael.

Performed at major events including President Obama’s 2009 inauguration.

APPEARANCE Franklin was known for her regal stage presence, expressive eyes, and commanding physical bearing. Her appearance evolved over the decades, but she consistently projected an image of dignity and power. She was recognized for her changing hairstyles that reflected cultural and political movements, from beehive updos in the 1960s to natural afros during the Civil Rights era.

Aretha Franklin in 1968

FASHION Franklin was a fashion icon who favored glamorous, statement-making gowns, luxurious furs, vibrant colors, and elaborate accessories. Her style ranged from form-fitting dresses in the 1960s to flowing caftans in later decades. She was notably ahead of her time in advocating for size inclusivity in fashion, reportedly asking designers like Calvin Klein to "please make 14s" and calling out the lack of stylish clothing in larger sizes. (2)

CHARACTER Franklin was intensely private, fiercely independent, and deeply protective of her family and personal life. Despite her powerful stage persona, she was reportedly shy and reserved in private settings. Colleagues described her as a woman of few words who kept her career and personal life strictly separate. She was known for her strong moral compass, charitable nature, and commitment to helping others.

SPEAKING VOICE Franklin possessed a deep, rich, resonant speaking voice that mirrored the power of her singing voice. Those who knew her described her speaking voice as warm yet commanding, reflecting both her southern roots and natural authority.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Franklin was known for having a subtle, sharp wit and enjoyed playful banter with close friends and family. However, she was generally reserved about displaying her humor publicly, preferring to keep her more lighthearted side private.

RELATIONSHIPS Franklin had four sons: Clarence (born 1955), Edward (born 1957), Ted "Teddy" White Jr. (born 1964), and Kecalf Cunningham (born 1970). 

She was married twice: Aretha Franklin's first wedding was to Ted White in 1961, when she was 18 or 19 years old. The ceremony took place about six months after they met in Detroit. The relationship was marked by domestic abuse and they divorced in 1969. 

Her second wedding was to actor Glynn Turman on April 11, 1978. This ceremony was held at her father Reverend C.L. Franklin’s New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. They divorced in 1984. 

Franklin had four sons: Clarence (born 1955 when Aretha was 12), Edward (born 1957), Ted "Teddy" White Jr. (born 1964), and Kecalf Cunningham (born 1970). 

She had various romantic relationships throughout her life and was engaged to Willie Wilkerson in 2012, though the engagement was called off. Franklin was notably private about her personal relationships and the fathers of her children, though some of her romances inspired her music. 

Franklin and William Wilkerson at the 2011 US Open by Boss Tweed from New York

MONEY AND FAME Franklin’s success brought her considerable wealth, though her estate was ultimately valued at around $18 million at the time of her death—far less than the initial $80 million estimate. 

One of the highest-earning female artists of her generation, she was famously meticulous about her finances. A savvy businesswoman, she insisted on being paid in cash before every performance, placing the money directly into her handbag, which either stayed with her security team or sat on the piano during her set. 

Known to travel with large sums of cash, she nevertheless led a comparatively modest lifestyle next to some of her peers. After her death, her estate became the focus of a legal dispute when multiple handwritten wills were discovered.

FOOD AND DRINK Franklin was passionate about soul food and Southern cuisine. She loved cooking and was accomplished in the kitchen, often preparing elaborate meals for guests. Her favorite foods included fried chicken, chitlins, hot water cornbread, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler. She demonstrated her cooking skills on shows like Martha Stewart and Oprah, sharing recipes like her famous Chicken Italiano. Franklin also enjoyed dining at restaurants like Red Lobster and Wendy's. (3)

MUSIC CAREER Aretha Franklin’s career wasn’t just successful—it was the sort of success that leaves permanent dents in the history of music, the kind you can’t buff out even if you wanted to.

Like all good legends, her story starts in church. Little Aretha, barely tall enough to peek over the piano, was singing gospel at her father’s New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. By 14, she had recorded her first gospel album, Songs of Faith, and if you listen to it today, you get the distinct impression that here was someone who’d been born fully capable of rearranging your internal organs using only her voice.

In 1960, at just 18, Franklin signed with Columbia Records. This should have been the beginning of global domination, except Columbia, in a stroke of magnificent short-sightedness, tried to mold her into a lounge-friendly pop act. The records were fine—lovely, even—but they didn’t really unleash the full gospel thunderstorm she was packing.

Enter 1966 and Atlantic Records, where producer Jerry Wexler had the sense to say, in effect, “Why don’t you just sing the way you actually sing?” The result was an avalanche of hits: “Respect” (1967’s unstoppable anthem), “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” “Think,” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” With these, Aretha became the undisputed “Queen of Soul”—a title she never relinquished—her voice carrying the grit of the church, the polish of pop, and the urgency of civil rights and feminism.

One of her most legendary moments came at the 1998 Grammy Awards. Opera giant Luciano Pavarotti was due to perform Puccini’s Nessun Dorma but, moments before showtime, he fell ill. This is the kind of situation that would send most singers running for the exit. Aretha, however, stepped in “literally at a moment’s notice” and sang the aria herself—transposing it into her own key and style—earning a standing ovation and the eternal gratitude of the show’s producers. It was a reminder that her talent could leap genres without breaking a sweat.

The ’70s and ’80s brought further glories: collaborations with the likes of George Michael (“I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”), dancefloor shakers like “Freeway of Love,” and a deal with Arista Records that let her stretch into pop and contemporary styles. She also delivered the kind of high-profile performances—President Obama’s inauguration, televised tributes—that reminded everyone she was still in a league of her own.

By the time the dust settled, Franklin had racked up 112 singles on the Billboard charts, 20 No.1 R&B hits, and 17 Top-10 pop singles, selling over 75 million records. She earned 18 Grammys, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the honor of being the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987). She was, in short, a walking, singing collection of “firsts” and “mosts.”

Aretha Franklin didn’t just sing songs; she redefined what a song could be. She fused gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop into something unmistakably hers, while playing piano and arranging music with quiet mastery. Her voice was a force of nature—capable of tenderness and fury in the same breath—and it set the bar for every singer who came after. Today, her influence remains so pervasive that even artists who don’t know they’re channeling Aretha are, in some small way, channeling Aretha.

MUSIC AND ARTS Music was the core of her life. Her musical influences included gospel artists like Clara Ward and Mahalia Jackson, as well as jazz and soul singers such as Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke, and Ray Charles.

Beyond singing, Franklin was an accomplished pianist and songwriter who played by ear and resisted formal lessons. She was a major supporter of jazz education and various musical charities. Her musical influences spanned gospel, blues, jazz, and classical music, and she maintained deep connections to Detroit's rich musical heritage.

In 1972, director Sydney Pollack filmed her Amazing Grace concerts but forgot to use clapperboards, making it impossible to sync sound and picture. The footage sat unused for 46 years before being salvaged and released.

LITERATURE Franklin was an avid reader with particular interests in African-American history and literature. Despite leaving formal education early, she valued learning and continued to educate herself throughout her life.

NATURE Franklin enjoyed spending quiet time in gardens and found peace in natural surroundings, especially later in her life. She appreciated tranquil outdoor spaces as retreats from her demanding career.

PETS Franklin kept pets during her life, often favoring small dogs. she supported animal welfare causes

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Franklin's hobbies included piano playing, cooking, reading, bowling, and golf. According to her 1964 ASCAP membership form, she specifically enjoyed bowling and golf as recreational activities. 

SCIENCE AND MATHS While not formally trained, she had an intuitive grasp of musical structure and rhythm akin to mathematical precision.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Franklin's worldview was deeply rooted in gospel music, Baptist faith, and social justice. Her early life in the church, combined with her father's activism, shaped her commitment to civil rights and humanitarian causes. She maintained strong religious faith throughout her life and saw her music as a form of ministry and social commentary.

Aretha Franklin’s 1972 gospel album Amazing Grace is her best-selling LP and stands as the highest-selling live gospel album of all time. It sold over 2 million copies in the United States, earning double platinum certification, and it remains a landmark in both her career and the history of gospel music. (1)

POLITICS Franklin was a prominent civil rights supporter and registered Democrat. She sang at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral, performed at President Obama's inauguration, and was actively involved with organizations like the NAACP and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In 1970, she offered to pay Angela Davis's bail. The FBI monitored her activities for 40 years due to her civil rights involvement.

Her song "Respect" became an anthem for both the civil rights and women's rights movements.

SCANDAL Franklin faced various personal challenges that occasionally attracted media attention, including teen pregnancies, tumultuous relationships, domestic abuse, performance cancellations, and IRS issues. However, her public image remained largely positive throughout her career. S

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Franklin struggled with weight fluctuations and health issues throughout her life. She battled advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer for nearly a decade before her death, though she kept her illness largely private. She experienced significant weight loss following surgery in 2010 and made efforts to adopt healthier lifestyle habits.

HOMES Franklin primarily resided in Detroit, considering it her hometown despite being born in Memphis. She owned several properties including a mansion at 18261 Hamilton Road in Detroit (purchased in 1993) and her childhood home at 7415 La Salle Boulevard where she lived from age 5 to 18. She also lived periods in New York, Los Angeles, and Encino, California, but returned to Detroit in 1982 to care for her ailing father.

Franklin's birthplace, 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, by Thomas R Machnitzki

TRAVEL  Franklin toured widely across the United States and abroad until the mid-1980s, when a terrifying bout of turbulence on a flight from Atlanta to Detroit in 1984 left her with a deep-seated fear of flying. Though she enrolled in a “Fearless Flyers” course in an effort to conquer it, the fear never lifted. From that point on, she traveled to all performances by custom bus, a choice that significantly curtailed her touring schedule and even cost her the lead role in a planned musical biography of gospel great Mahalia Jackson.

DEATH Aretha Franklin died on August 16, 2018, at her Detroit home, surrounded by family. The cause of death was advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, a rare form of the disease that she had battled privately for approximately eight years. She was 76 years old.

The funeral service took place on August 31, 2018, at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan. The service was attended by family, friends, celebrities, political leaders, and fans. Notable guests and speakers included Bill Clinton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, and more.

The funeral was filled with powerful tributes and performances from legendary musicians, gospel choirs, and contemporary stars, celebrating her life and musical achievements.

After the service, Aretha Franklin was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, next to her father C.L. Franklin, her sisters Carolyn and Erma, and her brother Cecil.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Franklin appeared in films including The Blues Brothers (1980), and made frequent television appearances on variety shows, award ceremonies, and news programs. Her performances at major events like presidential inaugurations and award shows became legendary television moments.

The biopic Respect (2021) and the concert film Amazing Grace (2018) tell her life story and showcase her talent.

ACHIEVEMENTS First woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

18 Grammy Awards

Presidential Medal of Freedom (2005)

Kennedy Center Honors recipient (1994)

Ranked No. 1 on Rolling Stone’s 2023 list of the “200 Greatest Singers of All Time”

Sources: (1) Songfacts (2) Refinery  (3) Taste Of Home