Rune T. Kidde: Rock'n' roll bliver født, del 10: Aretha Franklin. Min signerede fotosamling.

Aretha Franklin alias Aretha Louise Franklin, født 25. marts 1942 i Memphis, Tennessee. Sanger, sangskriver og pianist indenfor genrerne: Soul, Jazz, blues, rock and roll, gospel og R&B (og opera!). Lå nummer et på bladet ”Rolling Stones” liste over historiens 100 bedste sangere. Siden 1961 har hun haft 45 top 40 hits i USA. Som den første kvindelige kunstner havde hun mellem 1967-82, 10 nr. 1 albums på R&B-listen og kom i 1987, som den første kvinde, med i ”Rock and Roll hall of fame”. Hendes store stemme, dynamiske fraseringer og indlevelsesevne har givet hende navnet ”The Queen of Soul”. Hun blev født i et toværelses træhus i Memphis. Familien flyttede til Detroit da Aretha var fire år, og her voksede hun op. Hendes mor døde da hun var ti efter at være blevet skilt fra faren, der var babtist-præst. Aretha fik sit første barn som 14 årig i 1956, og året efter, et til. Hun sang med i gospelkoret i farens kirke og indsang også som 14-årig sin første gospel lp med bemærkelsesværdig stemme, hvor hun akkompagnerede sig selv på klaver, som hun havde lært at spille efter gehør. Historiske gospelnavne som Albertina Walker, Mahalia Jackson og Clara Ward var gæster i farens hjem og satte et umiskendeligt præg på Arethas vokale udvikling. Hun lavede sin første udgivelse i 1955 som 18 årig, men pladeselskabet forsøgte at lancere hende som jazzsanger i stil med Billie Holliday, og successen kom ikke før hun i 1967 skiftede til Atlantic, hvor hun fik ikke mindre end fire nummer 1 hits samme år: ”I never loved a man like I loved you”, ”Respect”, ”Chain of Fools” og "Baby I Love You". ”Respect” (oprindeligt skrevet og indspillet af Otis Redding), kom efter Franklins udgave til at stå som et symbol i kampen for kvindernes og Afro-Amerikanernes ligeberettigelse. Hendes baggrund i gospelmusikken kom for alvor til sin ret, da hun i 1972 lavede det mest solgte gospelalbum nogensinde ”Amazing Grace”, der solgte over 2 millioner eksemplarer alene i USA.

I 1971 blev Arethas far skudt ned under et røveriforsøg og lå i coma i fem år. Hun holdt op med at optræde og indspille, for at pleje ham, samtidig med, at soul gled i baggrunden til fordel for disco på hitlisterne. I 1980 fik hun imidlertid sit comeback via en optræden med nummeret ”Think” i Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi’s film ”The Blues Brothers” og fik i 1982 en guldplade for lp’en ”Jump to It”. I 1985 fik hun en platin-plade for albummet ” Who's Zoomin' Who?” der bl.a. indeholder duetten med Annie Lennox "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves", der igen viser hendes styrke som kvindesagsforkæmper. Samme år var hun også, for at det ikke skal være løgn, stand in for en syg Pavarotti, og sang Puccinis arie ”Nessun Dorma” i New York. I 1987 blev Aretha Franklin igen nummer et på hitlisterne med George Michal duetten "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me". Efter årtusindskiftet har Aretha haft alvorlige helbredsproblemer, bl.a. på grund af overvægt, men har nu tabt 42 kg., og blev i januar 2012 som 69 årig, forlovet med sin ven gennem mange år, William ”Willie” Wilkerson, men ægteskabet er blevet udskudt. "Things were moving a little to fast", udtaler hun. Hun har i alt fire børn. Aretha Franklin udgav i 1999 selvbiografien: ”Aretha: From These Roots”, og en film om hendes liv er under forberedelse, 2012.

Washington Post

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, talks about her life and legacy

By DeNeen L. Brown,November 16, 2012

At age 70, R&B legend Aretha Franklin remains a musical force still touring and working with director Taylor Hackford on her upcoming biopic.

At age 70, R&B legend Aretha Franklin remains a musical force — still touring and working with director Taylor Hackford on her upcoming biopic. Although there have been recent questions about her health, the Queen of Soul says she’s “stepping right along” and “feeling fabulous.” The following are excerpts from a telephone interview on the eve of her scheduled performance Saturday at DAR Constitution Hall.

Q: Will you sing again at the inauguration, as you did in 2009 when you sang “My Country ’Tis of Thee” on that bitter cold day before thousands?

A: I probably will not get a call again. If he called again, I certainly would not say no. I would love to do it again. And I would try doing it in another way so that the weather does not affect my voice.

Q: You’ve been asked before about that famous gray hat with that wide bow fitted with bling. Is it still set to go to the Smithsonian?

A: Yes. We were talking with the Smithsonian, but I found I had to go in the hospital. Everything was put on hold at that point. It’s still under wraps, though and perfectly protected.

Q: How do you protect your voice? It has been designated “a natural resource” by the state of Michigan.

A: I don’t abuse it in any way. . . . Get plenty of good rest. And a singer’s dream, which is hot tea, honey and lemon. Pre-concert.

Q: What are some of your favorite songs?

A: There are too many. . . . Certainly, among them would be “Respect,” “Jump to It,” “Natural Woman,” “Rock Steady” and “Nessun Dorma,” Pavarotti’s signature song.

Q: Who would you like cast as you in your movie? Would you please talk about your biopic?

A: Mr. Hackford and I are fine-tuning the treatment. We have been writing and editing it. . . . We’ve talked about a lot of names. He was interested in Denzel [Washington] playing my dad. I quite agreed with that — though there are other names we are thinking about and kicking around, like Jamie Foxx, who did such a great job in “Ray.” . . . We are thinking of Audra McDonald, who had just won a Tony on Broadway [for “Porgy and Bess”]. The question where Audra is concerned is whether or not Audra can get over into soul, not Broadway. That is a possibility, as well as Jennifer Hudson.

Q: You’ve said before: “Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community.” What social service projects have you worked on recently?

A: Sometimes, it’s revivals. Sometimes, gospel programs at my church. I try to bring in the best artists in the country. . . . There is a buffet. There is just lots of wonderful food. Everything is free. . . . I also give to the food banks in the city. . . . Sometimes, there are things on the news that are very tragic and people need assistance and help, and I donate anonymously.

Q: When you are onstage, what are you thinking about? What do you want to impart to the audience?

A: I’m there to give the best performance I can. The idea is to be as uplifting as possible and as inspiring to people as possible so they are glad they came and they leave with something that helps them throughout their day and on the way.

Q: What do you want people to know about you? Who is Mrs. Franklin beneath the music?

A: Well, I think people already know. I’ve been around long enough for people to know who I am and what my contributions are. They know me as more than just an artist. I think they know me as a woman, as well.