Aretha Louise Franklin

Aretha Franklin, the undisputed “Queen of Soul” whose powerhouse vocal cords revolutionized American music and made her one of the top-selling female musicians of all time, has died at age 76.

Funeral services will be held August 31 in Detroit, for family and friends, and will be held at 10 a.m. at Greater Grace Temple, under the direction of Swanson Funeral Home.  

Public viewings will be held August 28th and 29th from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit.

Franklin will be entombed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, MI, along with her father, Rev. C.L. Franklin; brother Cecil Franklin; sisters Carolyn Franklin and Erma Franklin; and nephew, Thomas Garrett.

The 18-time Grammy winner, who got her start singing gospel as a child, transcended music categories — R&B, pop, jazz, disco and blues — during her six decades as a recording artist. Her Top 10 hits included ”(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Chain of Fools,” and most famously her signature rendition of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” which became a rallying cry for strong, independent women and black empowerment during the civil rights era.

In addition to being a cultural icon ― not just in music, but in human rights and even fashion ― Franklin, who was ranked by Rolling Stone as the greatest singer of all time, was one of the most honored singers of the 20th century and 21st century.

She was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest U.S. civilian honor, in 2005. She was invited to perform at the inaugurations for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Her 2009 performance at Obama’s inauguration ― where she wore a spectacular jeweled hat ― was one of several shows she performed for the first couple during Obama’s two terms in the White House. She would also perform the classic “A Natural Woman” at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. Obama appeared to wipe away tears as she brought the house to a standing ovation.

Born March 25, 1942, to a Baptist minister and a gospel singer, Franklin first started singing at her father’s church as a child with her two sisters.

Her father, the late Rev. C.L. Franklin, was a celebrity in his own right. His fiery sermons packed the pews and attracted a range of musical talent to the Detroit home where Franklin grew up. There, the Franklin children were exposed to the likes of Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke and Oscar Peterson, as Franklin fondly recalled to NPR’s Terry Gross in 1999.

In later years, the Franklins became close to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., with C.L. helping to spearhead civil rights demonstrations, including Detroit’s Freedom March in 1963.

Franklin’s music career kicked off at age 14, when she recorded her first studio album, “Songs of Faith,” in 1956. While touring with her father, by then her manager, she gave birth to her first child. Two years later, she gave birth to the second of what would be four children.

In 1960, she signed with Columbia Records, where she released her first Top 40 hit, ”Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody.”

Her signing with Columbia was monumental, helping her to transition from gospel to mainstream music. Yet it wasn’t until after her contract ended in 1966 that her career took off, with Franklin signing to Atlantic Records.

The 1970s saw her win six Grammys and release a variety of diverse live albums, which included a return to gospel with her double platinum selling album “Amazing Grace.”

In the ‘80s, she signed with Clive Davis’ label, Arista Records, where she knocked out a range of tunes from dance music to pop ― notably her 1987 Grammy-winning single with George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).” Her 23-year partnership with Arista Records, which lasted until 2003, was the longest in her recording career.

She went on to receive her 18th Grammy in 2007 for her duet “Never Gonna Break My Faith” with Mary J. Blige.

Her last album, “Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics,” was released in 2014 on RCA, and marked her first major-label album in 13 years.

Franklin is survived by her four sons ― Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, Ted White Jr. and Kecalf Cunningham ― and several grandchildren.

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