View source for Aretha Franklin

{{Short description|American singer (1942–2018)}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{redirect-multi|2|Aretha|Queen of Soul}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = Aretha Franklin 1968.jpg
| alt                = Franklin, with a lacy white dress and perfectly coiffed hair, rests her chin on her index finger and poses, looking straight into the camera.
| caption            = Franklin in 1968
| birth_name         = Aretha Louise Franklin
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1942|3|25}}
| birth_place        = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|2018|8|16|1942|3|25}}
| death_place        = Detroit, Michigan,<!--Links not needed per MOS:OVERLINK--> U.S.
| resting_place      = [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit)|Woodlawn Cemetery]], Detroit
| occupation         = {{Flat list|
* Singer
* songwriter
* pianist
* civil rights activist
* record producer
}}
| years_active       = 1954–2017
| children           = 4
| parents            = {{unbulleted list|[[C. L. Franklin]]|[[Barbara Siggers Franklin]]}}
| relatives          = {{unbulleted list|[[Erma Franklin]] (sister)|[[Carolyn Franklin]] (sister)}}
| spouse             = {{unbulleted list |{{marriage|[[Ted White (manager)|Ted White]]|1961|1969|end=div}} |{{marriage|[[Glynn Turman]]|1978|1984|end=div}}}}
| awards             = [[List of awards and nominations received by Aretha Franklin|Full list]]
| signature          = Aretha Franklin signature.svg
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed           = yes
| origin          = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| genre           = {{Flat list|<!-- Aim for generality and use two to four genres per [[Template:Infobox musical artist/doc#genre]] -->
* [[Soul music|Soul]]
* [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]<ref name = "Unterberger">{{cite web |last1=Unterberger |first1=Richie |title=Aretha Franklin {{!}} Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/aretha-franklin-mn0000927555/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 23, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Gospel music|gospel]]
* [[pop music|pop]]
}}
| instrument      = {{Flatlist|
* Vocals
* piano}}
| discography     = [[Aretha Franklin discography]]
| label           = {{Flatlist|
* [[Battle Records (record label)|J.V.B]]
* [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
* [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
* [[Arista Records|Arista]]
* [[RCA Records|RCA]]}}
| website         = {{URL|https://www.arethafranklin.net/}}
}}
}}

'''Aretha Louise Franklin''' ({{IPAc-en|ə|'|r|iː|θ|ə}} {{respell|ə|REE|thə}}; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/arts/music/aretha-franklin-dead-best-songs.html |title = Aretha Franklin's 20 Essential Songs |work = [[The New York Times]] |last = Farber|first= Jim |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 21, 2018 }}</ref><!--NOTE: only include occupation(s) that reliable sources consider notable/integral to artist's career; no [[WP:Original research]]--> Honored as the "'''Queen of Soul'''", she was twice named by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine as the [[Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time|greatest singer of all time]].<ref name="100 Greatest Singers">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/aretha-franklin-20101202 |title = 100 Greatest Singers: Aretha Franklin |magazine = Rolling Stone |date = December 3, 2010 |access-date = December 2, 2018 |archive-date = November 27, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151127050635/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/aretha-franklin-20101202 |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 1, 2023 |title=The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/ |access-date=January 4, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

As a child, Franklin was noticed for her [[Gospel music|gospel]] singing at [[New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan)|New Bethel Baptist Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], where her father [[C. L. Franklin]] was a minister. At the age of 18, she was signed as a recording artist for [[Columbia Records]]. While her career did not immediately flourish, Franklin found acclaim and commercial success once she signed with [[Atlantic Records]] in 1966. There, she recorded significant hit albums such as ''[[I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You]]'', ''[[Lady Soul]]'' and ''[[Aretha Now]]'' in the late 1960s and ''[[Young, Gifted and Black]]'', ''[[Amazing Grace (Aretha Franklin album)|Amazing Grace]]'' and ''[[Sparkle (soundtrack)|Sparkle]]'' in the 1970s, before experiencing problems with the record company. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 and signed with [[Arista Records]], where her career was revived with the hit albums ''[[Jump to It]]'', ''[[Who's Zoomin' Who?]]'', ''[[Aretha (1986 album)|Aretha]]'' and ''[[A Rose Is Still a Rose]]''.

Franklin is [[List of best selling music artists|one of the best-selling music artists]], with more than 75 million records sold worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/aretha-franklin-queen-of-soul-gravely-ill-report/a-45062199|title=Aretha Franklin, 'Queen of Soul,' gravely ill: report|first=Nik|last=Martin|work=[[Deutsche Welle]]|date=August 13, 2018|access-date=September 5, 2018}}</ref> She charted 112 singles on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' charts, including 73 [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 96 [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]] entries<ref name="arethaR&Bcharts">{{cite magazine |url=https://Billboard.com/artist/aretha-franklin/chart-history/bsi |title=Aretha Franklin Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref> and 20 number-one R&B singles. While her rendition of "[[Respect (Aretha Franklin recording)|Respect]]" has been referred to as her [[signature song]], Franklin is known for other hit singles such as "[[(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman]]", "[[Chain of Fools]]", "[[Think (Aretha Franklin song)|Think]]", "[[I Say a Little Prayer#Aretha Franklin version|I Say a Little Prayer]]", "[[Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin song)|Rock Steady]]", "[[Day Dreaming (Aretha Franklin song)|Day Dreaming]]", "[[Freeway of Love]]" and "[[I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)]]" (a duet with [[George Michael]]), to name a few. She also made a featured appearance in the 1980 musical-comedy film ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]''.

Franklin received numerous honors throughout her career. She  won 18 [[Grammy Awards]] out of 44 nominations,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/aretha-franklin/11503|title=Aretha Franklin|date=March 17, 2014|website=[[Grammy Awards]]|language=en|access-date=May 11, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Quick Facts about Aretha Franklin |url=https://theneighborhoods.org/story/quick-facts-about-aretha-franklin |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=theneighborhoods.org |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204163414/https://theneighborhoods.org/story/quick-facts-about-aretha-franklin |url-status=dead }}</ref> including the first eight awards given for [[Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance|Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]] (1968–1975), as well as a [[Grammy Legend Award|Grammy Living Legend Award]] and [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award|Lifetime Achievement Award]]. She was also awarded the [[National Medal of Arts]] and the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]. In 1987, she became the first female artist to be inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]. Her other inductions include the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2005, the [[Gospel Music Hall of Fame]] in 2012,<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.freep.com/article/20120814/ENT04/120814088/Aretha-Franklin-inducted-into-Gospel-Music-Hall-of-Fame |title = Aretha Franklin inducted into Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015. |work = [[Detroit Free Press]]|first=David|last= Paulson |date=August 15, 2012| access-date = August 15, 2018 |archive-date = January 3, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160103002747/http://www.freep.com/article/20120814/ENT04/120814088/Aretha-Franklin-inducted-into-Gospel-Music-Hall-of-Fame |url-status = dead }}</ref> and posthumously the [[National Women's Hall of Fame]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.womenofthehall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lacks-Henrietta-11.11.2020-Press-Release.pdf|title=National Women's Hall of Fame Virtual Induction Series Inaugural Event December 10, 2020|date=November 11, 2020|access-date=November 12, 2020|archive-date=October 9, 2022|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.womenofthehall.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lacks-Henrietta-11.11.2020-Press-Release.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2019, the [[Pulitzer Prize]] jury awarded her a posthumous [[Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards|special citation]] "for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades".

==Early life==
[[File:Aretha Franklin birthplace 406 Lucy Ave Memphis TN 06.jpg|thumb|left|Franklin's birthplace, 406 Lucy Avenue, [[Memphis, Tennessee]]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.morethings.com/music/aretha_franklin/photo_gallery13.htm |title = Sister Ree's Scrapbook, An Aretha Franklin Photo Gallery 13 |access-date = November 6, 2010 }}</ref>]]
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, to [[Barbara Siggers Franklin|Barbara (née Siggers)]] and [[C. L. Franklin|Clarence LaVaughn "C. L." Franklin]]. She was delivered at her family's home located at 406 Lucy Avenue, [[Memphis, Tennessee]]. Her father was a [[Baptist]] minister and [[circuit preacher]] originally from [[Shelby, Mississippi]], while her mother was an accomplished piano player and vocalist.{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=11}} C. L. and Barbara Franklin both had children from prior relationships in addition to the four children they had together. When Aretha was two years old, the family relocated to [[Buffalo, New York]].<ref>{{cite web|title= Aretha Franklin Biography and Interview |website=achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url= https://www.achievement.org/achiever/aretha-franklin/#interview|date=October 27, 2012}}</ref> By the time Aretha turned five, C. L. Franklin had permanently relocated the family to [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]] where he took over the pastorship of the [[New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan)|New Bethel Baptist Church]].{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=23}}

The Franklins had a troubled marriage because of C. L. Franklin's infidelities, and they separated in 1948.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|pp=23–24}} At that time, Barbara Franklin returned to Buffalo with Aretha's half-brother, Vaughn.{{sfn|Ritz|2014|p=24}} After the separation, Aretha recalled seeing her mother in Buffalo during the summer, and Barbara Franklin frequently visited her children in Detroit.{{sfn|McAvoy|2002|pp=19–20}}{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=24}} Aretha's mother died of a heart attack on March 7, 1952, before Aretha's 10th birthday.{{Sfn|Warner|2014|p=7}} Several women, including Aretha's grandmother, Rachel, and [[Mahalia Jackson]], took turns helping with the children at the Franklin home.{{sfn|McAvoy|2002|p=22}} During this time, Aretha learned how to play piano by ear.{{sfn|McAvoy|2002|pp=20–21}} She also attended public school in Detroit, going through her first year at [[Northern High School (Detroit, Michigan)|Northern High School]], but dropping out during her second year.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://historicdetroit.org/building/northern-high-school/ |title = Northern High School |publisher = historicdetroit.org }}</ref>

Aretha became pregnant with her first child, Clarence, when she was only 12 years old. She originally claimed that the father was a classmate named Edward Jordan, but would later write in her will that the father was Edward Jordan Sr.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.the-sun.com/news/2564943/who-edward-jordan-sr-aretha-franklins-child-father-clarence/ |title=War of Wills: Who is Edward Jordan Sr? Father of Aretha Franklin’s first child, Clarence |first=Olivia |last=Burke |date=28 December 2023 |newspaper=The U.S. Sun |access-date=7 December 2025}}</ref>{{better citation needed|date=December 2025}}

Aretha's father's emotionally driven sermons resulted in his being known as the man with the "million-dollar voice". He earned thousands of dollars for sermons in various churches across the country.{{sfn|Dobkin|2006|p=48}}{{sfn|Feiler|2009|p=248}} His fame led to his home being visited by various celebrities. Among the visitors were gospel musicians [[Clara Ward]], [[James Cleveland]], and early [[The Caravans|Caravans]] members [[Albertina Walker]] and [[Inez Andrews]]. [[Martin Luther King Jr.]], [[Jackie Wilson]] and [[Sam Cooke]] all became friends of C. L. Franklin, as well.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/12/19/inez-andrews-towering-gospel-artist-dead-at-83/ |title = Inez Andrews: A towering gospel artist |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |first = Howard |last = Reich |date = December 19, 2012 |access-date = March 20, 2014 }}; {{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/arts/music/inez-andrews-gospel-singer-dies-at-83.html |title = Inez Andrews, Gospel Singer, Dies at 83 |newspaper = The New York Times |access-date = March 20, 2014 |first = Dennis |last = Hevesi |date = December 21, 2012 }}</ref>{{Sfn|Bracks|2012|p=365}} Ward was romantically involved with Aretha's father from around 1949 until Ward's death in 1973, though Aretha "preferred to view them strictly as friends".{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|pp=35–36}} Ward also served as a [[role model]] to the young Aretha.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=40}}<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/michigan/michiganians-of-year/2018/06/21/aretha-franklin-lifelong-commitment-detroit-michiganian-year-detroit-news-lifetime-achievement-award/720527002 |title = Aretha Franklin: Lifelong commitment to Detroit |first = Adam |last = Graham |website = [[The Detroit News]] |date = June 22, 2018 }}</ref>

==Musical career==
===1952–1960: Beginnings===
Just after her mother's death, Franklin began singing solos at [[New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan)|New Bethel Baptist Church]], debuting with the hymn "Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me".{{sfn|McAvoy|2002|p=22}}<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/5151565-421/roots--of-soul.html |title = Aretha Franklin's roots of soul |first = Dave |last = Hoekstra |date = May 12, 2011 |work = [[Chicago Sun-Times]] |access-date = April 18, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120622045122/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/5151565-421/roots--of-soul.html |archive-date = June 22, 2012 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all }}</ref> When Franklin was 12, her father began [[career management|managing]] her; he would take her on the road with him, during his "gospel caravan" tours for her to perform in various churches.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=47}} He also helped her sign her first recording deal with [[Battle Records (record label)|J.V.B. Records]]. Franklin was featured on vocals and piano.<ref>{{cite web |title = Pickwick Group Ltd – Aretha Franklin – Songs Of Faith |url = http://www.pickwickgroup.com/catalogue/details/717042 |website = pickwickgroup.com |access-date = August 22, 2018 |language = en }}</ref> In 1956, J.V.B. released Franklin's first single, "Never Grow Old", backed with "You Grow Closer". "Precious Lord <small>(Part One)</small>" backed with "Precious Lord <small>(Part Two)</small>" followed in 1959. These four tracks, with the addition of "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood", were released on side one of the 1956 album, ''Spirituals''. This was reissued by Battle Records in 1962, under the same title.<ref>{{cite web |title = J.V.B./Battle Album Discography |url = http://www.bsnpubs.com/detroit/battle.html |website = bsnpubs.com |access-date = August 22, 2018 }}</ref> In 1965, [[Checker Records]] released ''[[Songs of Faith (Aretha Franklin album)|Songs of Faith]]'', featuring the five tracks from the 1956 ''Spirituals'' album, with the addition of four previously unreleased recordings. Aretha was only 14 when ''Songs of Faith'' was recorded.<ref name="auto2">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-11950661|title=Obituary: Aretha Franklin, 16 August 2018|work=BBC News|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref>

During this time, Franklin would occasionally travel with [[the Soul Stirrers]].{{sfn|Warner|2014|pp=8–9}} As a young gospel singer, Franklin spent summers on the gospel circuit in Chicago and stayed with [[Mavis Staples]]'s family.<ref name="Queen">{{Cite news |url = https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/08/16/aretha-franklin-dies-chicago-concerts/ |title = Aretha Franklin: Remembering Her Many Ties To Chicago; She Became 'Queen Of Soul' Here |date = August 16, 2018 |publisher = CBS Chicago |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref>
According to music producer [[Quincy Jones]], while Franklin was still young, [[Dinah Washington]] let him know that "Aretha was the 'next one{{'"}}.<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Leight |first = Elias |title = Quincy Jones on Aretha Franklin: 'You Will Reign as the Queen Forever' |date = August 16, 2018 |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/quincy-jones-on-aretha-franklin-you-will-reign-as-the-queen-forever-711687/ |magazine = Rolling Stone |language = en-US |access-date = August 19, 2018 }}</ref> Franklin and her father traveled to California, where she met singer [[Sam Cooke]].{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=69}} At the age of 16, Franklin went on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she would ultimately sing at his funeral in 1968.<ref>{{cite magazine |first1 = Douglas |last1=Wolk|author1-link=Douglas Wolk |author2 = David Browne |author2-link=David Browne (journalist)|url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aretha-franklin-queen-of-soul-dead-at-76-119453/ |title = Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, Dead at 76 |magazine = Rolling Stone |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 16, 2018 |quote = At 16, she went on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and later sang at his funeral. }}</ref> Other influences in her youth included [[Marvin Gaye]], as well as Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, "two of Franklin's greatest influences".<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://slate.com/culture/2018/08/aretha-franklin-dead-the-singer-was-the-defining-voice-of-the-20th-century.html|title=Aretha Franklin Was the Defining Voice of the 20th Century|journal=Slate |date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 2, 2021|last1=Hamilton |first1=Jack }}</ref> Also important was [[James Cleveland]], known as the King of Gospel music, "who helped to focus her early career as a gospel singer"; Cleveland had been recruited by her father as a pianist for the Southern California Community Choir.<ref name="Aretha Franklin obituary">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/16/aretha-franklin-obituary|title=Aretha Franklin obituary|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|first=Richard|last=Williams|author-link=Richard Williams (journalist)|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref><ref name="RStone">{{cite magazine |author-link=Mikal Gilmore |last=Gilmore |first=Mikal |date=September 27, 2018 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/aretha-franklin-tribute-cover-story-queen-729053/|title=The Queen: Aretha Franklin: 1942–2018 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 2, 2021}}</ref>

===1960–1966: Columbia years===
[[File:Today I Sing the Blues - Billboard ad 1960.jpg|thumb|left|''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' ad for Franklin's debut single, "[[Today I Sing the Blues]]", November 21, 1960]] 
After turning 18, Franklin confided to her father that she aspired to follow Sam Cooke in recording pop music, and moved to New York.{{Sfn|Bracks|2012|p=365}} Serving as her manager, C. L. Franklin agreed to the move and helped to produce a two-song demo that soon was brought to the attention of [[Columbia Records]], who agreed to sign her in 1960, as a "five-percent artist".{{sfn|''Ebony''|1964|p=88}} During this period, Franklin would be coached by choreographer [[Cholly Atkins]] to prepare for her pop performances. Before signing with Columbia, Sam Cooke tried to persuade Franklin's father to sign her with his label, [[RCA Victor]], but she had already decided to go with Columbia.<ref name="auto2"/> [[Berry Gordy]] had also asked Franklin and her elder sister [[Erma Franklin|Erma]] to sign with his [[Motown Records|Tamla]] label, but C. L. Franklin turned Gordy down, as he felt Tamla was not yet an established label.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-11950661|title=Obituary: Aretha Franklin|work=BBC News|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref> Franklin's first Columbia single, "[[Today I Sing the Blues]]",<ref name="pc52" /> was issued in September 1960 and later reached the top 10 of the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Hot R&B Sides]] chart.<ref>{{cite magazine |url = https://www.billboard.com/artist/279868/aretha+franklin/chart |title = Aretha Franklin – chart history |magazine = Billboard |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160918104610/https://www.billboard.com/artist/279868/aretha+franklin/chart |archive-date = September 18, 2016 }}</ref>

In January 1961, Columbia issued Franklin's first album, ''[[Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo]]''. The album featured her first single to chart the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, "[[Won't Be Long (Aretha Franklin song)|Won't Be Long]]", which also peaked at number 7 on the R&B chart.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|pp=86–87}} Mostly produced by [[Clyde Otis]], Franklin's Columbia recordings saw her performing in diverse genres, such as [[standard (song)|standards]], [[vocal jazz]], [[blues]], [[doo-wop]] and [[rhythm and blues]]. Before the year was out, Franklin scored her first hit-single with her rendition of the standard "[[Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EBEEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Rock-a-Bye%22+%22aretha+franklin%22+chart&pg=PA22|title=Queen of Soul|magazine=Billboard|date=October 4, 2003|page=22}}</ref> By the end of 1961, Franklin was named as a "new-star female vocalist" in ''[[DownBeat]]'' magazine.{{sfn|''Ebony''|1964|p=85}} In 1962, Columbia issued two more albums, ''[[The Electrifying Aretha Franklin]]'' and ''[[The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-electrifying-aretha-franklin-mw0001879047 |title = The Electrifying Aretha Franklin |website = AllMusic |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-tender-the-moving-the-swinging-aretha-franklin-mw0000849065 |title = The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin |website = AllMusic |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> the latter of which became her first charting album, reaching number 69 on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs – Monaural chart.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/exhibits/show/rock/franklin |title = Aretha Franklin |publisher = Clinton Presidential Library |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref>

In the 1960s, during a performance at the [[Regal Theater, Chicago|Regal Theater]] in Chicago, [[WVON]] radio personality [[Pervis Spann]] announced that Franklin should be crowned "the Queen of Soul".<ref name=wendy/><ref name="Queen" /> Spann ceremonially placed a crown on her head.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/how-aretha-franklin-became-queen-soul-n901336 |title = This is the moment Aretha Franklin became the 'Queen of Soul' |last = Clark |first = Dartunorro |date = August 16, 2018 |publisher = NBC News |access-date = August 21, 2018 |language = en-US }}</ref> By 1964, Franklin began recording more pop music, reaching the top 10 on the R&B chart with the ballad "Runnin' Out of Fools", in early 1965. She had two R&B charted singles in 1965 and 1966, with the songs "[[One Step Ahead (Aretha Franklin song)|One Step Ahead]]" and "Cry Like a Baby", while also reaching the [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|Easy Listening]] charts with the ballads "[[You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)|You Made Me Love You]]" and "(No, No) I'm Losing You". By the mid-1960s, Franklin was making $100,000 per year from countless performances in nightclubs and theaters.{{sfn|''Ebony''|1964|p=85}} Also during that period, she appeared on rock-and-roll shows, such as ''[[Hollywood a Go-Go]]'' and ''[[Shindig!]]'' However, she struggled with commercial success while at Columbia. Label executive [[John H. Hammond]] later said he felt Columbia did not understand Franklin's early gospel background and failed to bring that aspect out further during her period there.<ref name="pc52">{{Gilliland|https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19834/m1|Show 52 – The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 8&#93; : UNT Digital Library}}</ref>

===1966–1979: Atlantic years===
[[File:Aretha franklin 1960s cropped retouched.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|Franklin in 1967]]
In November 1966, Franklin's Columbia recording contract expired; at that time, she owed the company money because record sales had not met expectations.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ubWAht7N7zsC&q=rick+hall+coproducet+aretha+respect&pg=PA335 |page = 339 |title = The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll|author-link=Anthony DeCurtis |first=Anthony|last=DeCurtis|author2=James Henke|author3=Holly George-Warren|publisher = Random House |date = 1992 |isbn = 978-0679737285 }}</ref> Producer [[Jerry Wexler]] convinced her to move to [[Atlantic Records]].<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=WyA1z6xKH4gC&pg=PT28 |page = 28 |title = Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace |last = Cohen |first = Aaron |publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing |date = 2011 |isbn = 978-1-4411-0392-5 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Aretha Franklin: 18 major events in the singer's life |url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-aretha-franklin-timeline-20180816-story.html |access-date = August 18, 2018 |work = Chicago Tribune |agency = Associated Press |date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> Wexler decided that he wanted to take advantage of her gospel background; his philosophy in general was to encourage a "tenacious form of rhythm & blues that became increasingly identified as soul".<ref name="RStone"/> The Atlantic days would lead to a series of hits for Aretha Franklin between 1967 and early 1972; her rapport with Wexler helped in the creation of the majority of her peak recordings on the Atlantic label. The next seven years' achievements were less impressive. However, according to ''Rolling Stone'', "they weren't as terrible as some claimed, they were pro forma and never reached for new heights".<ref name="nationalgeographic.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/how-pain-and-passion-shaped-the-genius-of-aretha-franklin-feature|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318133916/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/how-pain-and-passion-shaped-the-genius-of-aretha-franklin-feature|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 18, 2021|title=How pain and passion shaped the genius of Aretha Franklin|website=[[National Geographic]]|first=Deneen L. |last=Brown|date= March 18, 2021|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref>

In January 1967, Franklin traveled to [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]], to record at [[FAME Studios]] and recorded the song "[[I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)]]", backed by the [[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]]. Franklin only spent one day recording at FAME, as an altercation broke out between her manager and husband [[Ted White (manager)|Ted White]], studio owner [[Rick Hall]], and a horn player, and sessions were abandoned.<ref name="pc52" /><ref>{{cite news |url = http://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/muscle-shoals/index.html |title = Deep Soul |first = Mick |last = Brown |author-link=Mick Brown (journalist)|newspaper = [[The Daily Telegraph]] |year=2014|access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> The song was released the following month and reached number one on the R&B chart, while also peaking at number nine on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, giving Franklin her first top-ten pop single. The song's B-side, "[[Do Right Woman, Do Right Man]]", reached the R&B top 40, peaking at number 37. "[[Respect (Aretha Franklin recording)|Respect]]" was [[Otis Redding]]'s [[Respect (song)|song]] but Aretha modified it with a "supercharged interlude featuring the emphatic spelling-out of the song's title".<ref name="Aretha Franklin obituary"/> Her frenetic version was released in April and reached number one on both the R&B and pop charts. "Respect" became her [[signature song]] and was later hailed as a [[American Civil Rights Movement|civil rights]] and [[feminist movement|feminist]] anthem.<ref name="pc52" /><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.npr.org/2017/02/14/515183747/respect-wasnt-a-feminist-anthem-until-aretha-franklin-made-it-one |title = 'Respect' Wasn't A Feminist Anthem Until Aretha Franklin Made It One |date = February 14, 2017 |work = [[All Things Considered]]|publisher=[[NPR]] |access-date = August 22, 2018 |language = en }}</ref> Upon hearing her version, Otis Redding said admiringly: "That little girl done took my song away from me."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1987/05/07/arethas-r-e-s-p-e-c-t-still-spells-success/781871dd-20ff-4868-8589-0d6bc3ba9a6a/|title=Aretha's R-E-S-P-E-C-T Still Spells Success|first=Eric Charles|last=May|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=May 7, 1987}}</ref> Franklin's debut Atlantic album, ''[[I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You]]'', also became commercially successful, later going gold. According to ''[[National Geographic]]'', this recording "would catapult Franklin to fame".<ref name="nationalgeographic.com"/> Franklin scored two additional top-ten singles in 1967: "[[Baby I Love You (Aretha Franklin song)|Baby I Love You]]" and "[[(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-50-greatest-aretha-franklin-songs-110647/you-make-me-feel-like-a-natural-woman-1967-194586/|title=The 50 Greatest Aretha Franklin Songs|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 2, 2024}}</ref>

Working with Wexler and Atlantic, Franklin had become "the most successful singer in the nation" by 1968.<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ubWAht7N7zsC&q=rick+hall+coproducet+aretha+respect&pg=PA335 |page = 28 |title = The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll|first=Anthony|last=DeCurtis|author2=James Henke|author3=Holly George-Warren|publisher = Random House |date = 1992 |isbn = 978-0679737285 }}</ref> In 1968, Franklin issued the top-selling albums ''[[Lady Soul]]'' and ''[[Aretha Now]]'', which included some of her most popular hit singles, including "[[Chain of Fools]]", "[[Ain't No Way]]", "[[Think (Aretha Franklin song)|Think]]", and "[[I Say a Little Prayer#Aretha Franklin version|I Say a Little Prayer]]". That February, Franklin earned the first two of her Grammys, including the debut category for [[Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance|Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]].<ref>[[Natalie Cole]] broke Franklin's "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" winning streak with her 1975 single "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" (which, ironically, was originally offered to Franklin).</ref> On February 16, Franklin was honored with a day named for her and was greeted by longtime friend Martin Luther King Jr., who gave her the [[Southern Christian Leadership Conference|SCLC]] Drum Beat Award for Musicians less than two months before [[Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.|his death]].{{sfn|Dobkin|2006|p=5}}{{sfn|Whitaker|2011|p=315}}{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=107}} Franklin toured outside the US for the first time in late April/May 1968, including an appearance at the [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]], Amsterdam,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/17/drenched-in-glory-how-aretha-gave-voice-to-embattled-black-women-and-transformed-a-nation|title=Drenched in glory: how Aretha gave voice to embattled black women – and transformed a nation|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Daphne A |last=Brooks|author-link=Daphne Brooks|date=August 17, 2018}}</ref> where she played to a near-hysterical audience who covered the stage with flower petals.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://news.allaboutjazz.com/aretha-franklin-amsterdam-1968.php |title = Aretha Franklin: Amsterdam 1968 |work =[[AllAboutJazz]]|first= Marc|last=Myers |author-link=Marc Myers|date = July 3, 2015 |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> She performed two concerts in London, at the [[Finsbury Park Astoria]] and the [[Hammersmith Odeon]] on May 11 and May 12.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/New-Musical-Express/1968/NME-1968-05-18-S-OCR.pdf |title=Phenomenal Aretha|first=Nick|last=Logan|author-link=Nick Logan|magazine=[[New Musical Express]]|date=May 18, 1968|page= 16}}</ref> In June 1968, she appeared on the [[List of covers of Time magazine (1960s)|cover of ''Time'' magazine]] in a portrait illustration by [[Boris Chaliapin]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url = http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19680628,00.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071109212533/http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19680628,00.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 9, 2007 |title =Singer Aretha Franklin |date = June 28, 1968 |magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date= September 30, 2011 }}</ref>

{{listen|filename=Respect sample.ogg|title="Respect"|description="Respect" was a huge hit for Franklin, and became a signature song for her.|format=[[Ogg]]}}
In March 1969, Franklin was unanimously voted winner of [[Académie du Jazz]]'s R&B award, Prix Otis Redding, for her albums ''Lady Soul'', ''Aretha Now'', and ''[[Aretha in Paris]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=April 19, 1969|title=Aretha Gets R&B Award|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1969/Billboard%201969-04-19.pdf|magazine=Billboard|page=70}}</ref> That year, Franklin was the subject of a criminal [[impersonator|impersonation]] scheme. Another woman performed at several Florida venues under the name Aretha Franklin. Suspicion was drawn when the fake Franklin charged only a fraction of the expected rate to perform. Franklin's lawyers contacted Florida authorities and uncovered a coercive scheme in which the singer, [[Vickie Jones]], had been threatened with violence and constrained into impersonating her idol, whom she resembled closely both in voice and looks.<ref name=NYT>{{cite journal |last1=Maysh |first1=Jeff |author1-link=Jeff Maysh|date=July 2018 |title=The Counterfeit Queen of Soul |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/counterfeit-queen-soul-180969340/ | journal=[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]|access-date=April 22, 2020}}</ref> After being cleared of wrongdoing, Jones subsequently enjoyed a brief career of her own, during which she was herself the subject of an impersonation.

Franklin's success further expanded during the early 1970s, during which she recorded the multi-week R&B number one "[[Don't Play That Song (You Lied)]]", as well as the top-ten singles "[[Spanish Harlem (song)|Spanish Harlem]]", "[[Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin song)|Rock Steady]]", and "[[Day Dreaming (Aretha Franklin song)|Day Dreaming]]". Some of these releases were from the acclaimed albums ''[[Spirit in the Dark]]'' (released in August 1970, in which month she again performed at London's Hammersmith Odeon)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2012/aug/05/archive-1970-aretha-franklin-odeon|title=From the archive, 2 August 1970: A little respect? That's the least she deserves|first=Tony|last=Palmer|author-link=Tony Palmer (director)|website=The Guardian|date=August 5, 2012}}</ref> and ''[[Young, Gifted and Black]]'' (released in early 1972). In 1971, Franklin became the first R&B performer to headline [[Fillmore West]], later that year releasing the live album ''[[Aretha Live at Fillmore West]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/aretha-franklin/songs|title=Aretha Franklin songs|website=Wolfgang's Vault|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120044822/http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/aretha-franklin/songs|archive-date=January 20, 2012|url-status=dead}} – from the Bill Graham archives; requires free login. <!-- Editors: These are fully legal and licensed. See http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/concerts/support/about-concert-vault.html --></ref>

In January 1972, she returned to [[gospel music]] in a two-night, live-church recording, with the album ''[[Amazing Grace (Aretha Franklin album)|Amazing Grace]]'', in which she reinterpreted standards such as Mahalia Jackson's "[[How I Got Over (song)|How I Got Over]]".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20130827-a-song-that-made-america-believe|title=How Mahalia Jackson defined the 'I Have a Dream' speech|last=Kot|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Kot|date=October 21, 2014|publisher=BBC|access-date=August 28, 2018|language=en}}</ref> Originally released in June 1972, ''Amazing Grace'' sold more than two&nbsp;million copies,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.myajc.com/news/aretha-franklin-amazing-grace/lmY7SX9oylTPEbWW1gNgQJ/|title=Aretha Franklin's 'Amazing Grace'|last=Suggs|first=Ernie|date=August 16, 2018|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=August 29, 2018|language=en}}</ref> and is one of bestselling gospel albums of all time.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/obituaries/aretha-franklin-dead.html|title=Aretha Franklin, Indomitable 'Queen of Soul,' Dies at 76|newspaper=The New York Times|first= Jon|last= Pareles|author-link=Jon Pareles|date=August 16, 2018}}</ref> The live performances were filmed for [[Amazing Grace (2018 film)|a concert film]] directed by [[Sydney Pollack]], but because of synching problems and Franklin's own attempts to prevent the film's distribution, the film's release was only realized by producer Alan Elliott in November 2018.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gleiberman|first1=Owen|title=DOC NYC Film Review: 'Amazing Grace'|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/amazing-grace-review-aretha-franklin-1203027289/|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=March 6, 2019|date=November 13, 2018}}</ref>

Franklin's career began to experience problems while recording the album ''[[Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)|Hey Now Hey]]'', which featured production from [[Quincy Jones]]. Despite the success of the single "[[Angel (Aretha Franklin song)|Angel]]", the album bombed upon its release in 1973. Franklin continued having R&B success with songs such as "[[Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)|Until You Come Back to Me]]" and "[[I'm in Love (Bobby Womack song)|I'm in Love]]", but by 1975 her albums and songs were no longer top sellers. After Jerry Wexler left Atlantic for [[Warner Bros. Records]] in 1976, Franklin worked on the [[Sparkle (Aretha Franklin album)|soundtrack]] to the film ''[[Sparkle (1976 film)|Sparkle]]'' with [[Curtis Mayfield]]. The album yielded Franklin's final top 40 pop hit of the decade, "[[Something He Can Feel]]", which also peaked at number one on the R&B chart. Franklin's follow-up albums for Atlantic, including ''[[Sweet Passion]]'' (1977), ''[[Almighty Fire]]'' (1978) and ''[[La Diva (Aretha Franklin album)|La Diva]]'' (1979), bombed on the charts, and in 1979 Franklin left the company.<ref>{{cite web |last = Smith |first = Ebonie |url = http://www.atlanticrecords.com/posts/aretha-franklin-art-musical-partnership-18201 |title = Aretha Franklin & the Art of Musical Partnership |publisher = Atlantic Records |date=December 4, 2013|access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> On November 7, 1979, she guested ''[[The Mike Douglas Show]]'' with her yellow costume from her ''[[La Diva (Aretha Franklin album)|La Diva]]'' album, and sang "Ladies Only", "What If I Should Ever Need You" and "[[Yesterday (Beatles song)|Yesterday]]" by [[the Beatles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lightscamerabackbeat.com/search.php?artist=Aretha%20Franklin&show=Mike%20Douglas&year=1979|title=Ladies Only, What If I Should Ever Need You, Yesterday {{!}} The Mike Douglas Show|website= Lights, Camera, Backbeat|access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref>

===1980–2007: Arista years===
[[File:Aretha Franklin 1998.jpg|left|upright|thumb|Franklin in 1998]]
In 1980, after leaving Atlantic Records,<ref>{{cite news |last1 = Holden |first1 = Stephen |title = Aretha Franklin: Gospel and Glamour |work = The New York Times |date = October 11, 1981 |id = {{ProQuest|121764881}} }}</ref> Franklin signed with [[Clive Davis]]'s [[Arista Records]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/clive-davis-remembers-aretha-franklin-truly-one-of-a-kind-711990/|title=Clive Davis Mourns Aretha Franklin: 'Truly One of a Kind'|last1=Blistein|first1=Jon|date=August 16, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=September 4, 2019}}</ref> "Davis was beguiling and had the golden touch", according to ''Rolling Stone''. "If anybody could rejuvenate Franklin's puzzlingly stuck career, it was Davis."<ref name="RStone"/> Franklin participated in the musical comedy film, ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]'', in a cameo guest role as a [[soul food]] restaurant proprietor and wife of [[Matt "Guitar" Murphy]].<ref>{{cite web |last = Fleming |first = Mike Jr. |date = August 16, 2018 |url = https://deadline.com/2018/08/john-landis-aretha-franklin-the-blues-brothers-reminisces-john-belushi-dan-aykroyd-1202447056/ |title = John Landis, Who Directed Aretha Franklin's Only Two Movies, Remembers Her 'Blues Brothers' Turns |website = Deadline Hollywood }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1 = Lifton |first1 = Dave |first2 = Matthew |last2 = Wilkening |date = August 16, 2018 |url = http://1440wrok.com/aretha-franklin-year-by-year-photos/ |title = Aretha Franklin Year By Year Photos |publisher = 1440 WROK NewsTalk }}</ref> In November of that year, Franklin participated in the Royal Variety Performance at the [[London Palladium]] in front of [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]], directed by Louis Benjamin in celebration of fifty years of entertainment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-performance/archive/detail/1980-london-palladium |title=1980, London Palladium |work=RoyalVarietyCharity.org |access-date=September 24, 2025}}</ref>

Franklin's first Arista release, ''[[Aretha (1980 album)|Aretha]]'', was released in 1980 and produced the top three R&B hit single "United Together". While not released as a single, Franklin's [[funk]]-influenced cover of Otis Redding's "[[I Can't Turn You Loose]]" on the same album resulted in her first Grammy nomination in four years. 

The follow-up album, ''[[Love All the Hurt Away]]'' (1981) featured her hit R&B duet of the title track with [[George Benson]], while a [[post-disco]] rendition of [[Sam & Dave]]'s "[[Hold On, I'm Comin' (song)|Hold On, I'm Comin']]" won Franklin her first Grammy in six years. 

For her next Arista release, Clive Davis hired rising soul singer [[Luther Vandross]] to produce, resulting in ''[[Jump to It]]'' (1982). Producing her first top 40 single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 since "Something He Can Feel" with the danceable [[Jump to It (song)|title track]]", the album would become her first since the ''Sparkle'' soundtrack seven years earlier to receive a gold certification from the RIAA.<ref>{{cite magazine |url = https://www.billboard.com/artist/aretha-franklin/chart-history/dsi/ |title = Aretha Franklin – Jump To It |magazine = Billboard |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref>

When her immediate Vandross-helmed follow-up, ''[[Get It Right (album)|Get It Right]]'' (1983), failed to perform successfully despite the [[Get It Right (Aretha Franklin song)|title track]] becoming a number one R&B single,<ref>{{cite magazine |last1 = Shewey |first1 = Don |title = Get It Right |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/get-it-right-255411/ |magazine = Rolling Stone |access-date = August 28, 2018 |date = September 15, 1983 }}</ref> Arista hired a young [[Narada Michael Walden]] to produce the album, ''[[Who's Zoomin' Who]]''. 

Eschewing her R&B and soul roots, the album brought on a crossover [[pop music|pop]] sound with elements of synthesized [[dance-rock]] and [[urban pop]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Graham |first = Eliza |title = Aretha Franklin's New Wave of Pop |magazine = Rolling Stone|date=1985 |page = 11 }}</ref> Featuring the top ten Hot 100 hits such as "[[Freeway of Love]]" and [[Who's Zoomin' Who|the title track]], the album peaked at number thirteen on the ''Billboard'' 200, her highest peak in nearly 20 years and was her first album to be certified platinum in the United States. Part of the album's success was due to exposure on the then-fledgling [[music video]] channel [[MTV]], which also exposed Franklin to a younger audience. Franklin also achieved a top 20 hit with the duet, "[[Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves]]" with the new wave band [[Eurythmics]].

More than a year later in 1986, Franklin issued her sixth Arista release, ''[[Aretha (1986 album)|Aretha]]'' (sometimes referred to as ''Aretha '86''). The Walden-produced album went gold on the strength of her globally successful duet with [[George Michael]], "[[I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)]]", which became her first single in nearly twenty years to top the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and also topped the charts in the United Kingdom and Australia and resulted in Grammy wins for Franklin. Other hit singles on ''Aretha'' included a pop-rock rendition of "[[Jumpin' Jack Flash]]", culled from the [[Whoopi Goldberg]]-starring [[Jumpin' Jack Flash (film)|film of the same name]], and "[[Jimmy Lee (song)|Jimmy Lee]]". 

Throughout 1987, Franklin provided vocals to the theme songs of the TV shows ''[[A Different World]]'' and ''Together''.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-07-18/features/8602120160_1_abc-tv-aretha-franklin-brock-walsh |title = Writer's Ballad Tapped For Abc-tv Fall Theme |first = Patrick |last = Goldstein |date = July 18, 1986 |work = [[Sun-Sentinel]] |access-date = April 18, 2012 |archive-date = July 9, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120709004400/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-07-18/features/8602120160_1_abc-tv-aretha-franklin-brock-walsh |url-status = dead }}</ref> Also in 1987, the artist performed "[[America the Beautiful]]" at [[WWE]]'s [[Wrestlemania III]]; one source states that "to this day her WrestleMania III performance might be the most memorable" of the event openers by many artists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/aretha-franklin/aretha-franklin-at-wrestlemania-iii/|title=Watch Aretha Franklin Sing 'America the Beautiful' at WrestleMania III |work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|first=Garrett|last=Martin|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 2, 2021}}</ref> That same year, Franklin released her second full-length gospel album, ''[[One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism]]'', which was recorded at her late father's New Bethel church. 

After 1988, "Franklin never again had huge hits", according to ''Rolling Stone''.<ref name="RStone"/> In 1989, Franklin reunited with Narada Michael Walden on the album ''[[Through the Storm (Aretha Franklin album)|Through the Storm]]''. Despite the appearances of [[Elton John]] and fellow label mate and "honorary niece" [[Whitney Houston]], the album sold poorly, as did her 1991 follow-up, ''What You See is What You Sweat''. Both albums attempted to bring Franklin to the [[new jack swing]] era but were critical failures as well. 

Franklin returned to the charts in 1993 with the [[house music|house]] song "[[A Deeper Love]]", which was featured on the soundtrack to ''[[Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit]]'' and topped the ''Billboard'' [[Hot Dance Club Songs|Dance Club Play]] chart and was a UK top five hit. A year later, Franklin began working with [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]], landing her first top 40 single in five years with the [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] ballad, "[[Willing to Forgive]]".<ref>''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990'' – {{ISBN|0-89820-089-X}}.</ref> 

In 1995, Franklin portrayed [[Aunt Em]] in the [[Apollo Theater]] revival of ''[[The Wiz]]''. That year, Franklin contributed to the [[Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] of ''[[Waiting to Exhale]]'', after being handpicked by Whitney Houston to perform the ballad "It Hurts Like Hell", which reached the ''Billboard'' R&B charts. 

Three years after that, Franklin released the album, ''[[A Rose Is Still a Rose]]'', which produced her final top 40 single with the [[A Rose Is Still a Rose (song)|title track]], with both the album and single earning gold certifications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Aretha+Franklin&ti=A+Rose+Is+Still+a+Rose#search_section|title=American album certifications – Aretha Franklin – A Rose Is Still a Rose|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=August 17, 2018|at=If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.}}</ref>

[[File:arethafranklin.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.0|Franklin performing in April 2007 at the [[Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie|Nokia Theater]] in [[Dallas]], Texas]]
That same year, Franklin received global praise after her [[Grammy Awards of 1998|1998 Grammy Awards]] performance. She had initially been asked to perform in honor of the 1980 film ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]'', in which she appeared with [[Dan Aykroyd]] and [[John Belushi]]. That evening, after the show had already begun, another performer, opera tenor [[Luciano Pavarotti]] became too ill to perform the aria "[[Nessun dorma]]" as planned. The show's producers, desperate to fill the time slot, approached Franklin with their dilemma. She was a friend of Pavarotti and had sung the aria two nights prior at the annual [[MusiCares]] event. She asked to hear Pavarotti's rehearsal recording, and after listening, agreed that she could sing it in the [[tenor]] range that the orchestra was prepared to play in. OverMore than one billion people worldwide saw the performance, and she received an immediate [[standing ovation]]. 

She would go on to record the selection and perform it live several more times in the years to come. The last time she sang the aria live was for [[Pope Francis]] at the [[World Meeting of Families]] in [[Philadelphia]] in September 2015. A small boy was so touched by her performance that he came onto the stage and embraced her while Franklin was still singing.<ref name="auto">{{cite magazine |last1 = Feeney |first1 = Nolan |title = Grammys Producer Ken Ehrlich on Aretha Franklin's Last-Minute, Showstopping 1998 Opera Moment: 'She Was Incomparable' |url = https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8470628/aretha-franklin-pavarotti-1998-grammys-nessun-dorma-ken-ehrlich |access-date = August 17, 2018 |magazine = Billboard |publisher = Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group |date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite news |last1 = Stolworthy |first1 = Jacob |title = When Aretha Franklin stepped in for Pavarotti at the last minute to perform Nessun Dorma |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/aretha-franklin-death-nessun-dorma-pavarotti-grammys-performance-a8494851.html |access-date = August 17, 2018 |work = [[The Independent]] |date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref>

Her final Arista album, ''[[So Damn Happy (Aretha Franklin album)|So Damn Happy]]'', was released in 2003 and featured the Grammy-winning song "Wonderful". In 2004, Franklin announced that she was leaving Arista after more than 20 years with the label.<ref>{{cite journal |url = http://www.bluesandsoul.com/news_item/247/aretha_parts_with_arista/ |title = Aretha Parts With Arista |journal =[[Blues & Soul]] |issue = 1088 |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> 

To complete her Arista obligations, Franklin issued the duets compilation album ''[[Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen]]'' in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/jewels-in-the-crown-all-star-duets-with-the-queen-mw0000750042 |title = Jewels in the Crown: All Star Duets with the Queen |website = AllMusic |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> In February 2006, she performed "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" with [[Aaron Neville]] and [[Dr. John]] for [[Super Bowl XL]], held in her hometown of Detroit.<ref name=clinton/>

In 2007, Franklin would perform America the Beautiful at [[WrestleMania 23]], 20 years since her performance at WrestleMania 3, where she was specifically chosen to reflect the events "all grown up" theme and tagline.<ref>{{citeweb|title=Arethra returns to WrestleMania|publisher=WWE|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/23/exclusives/arethareturns|access-date=17 October 2025}}</ref>

===2007–2018: Final years===
In 2008, Franklin issued the holiday album ''[[This Christmas, Aretha]]'' on DMI Records.<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1445084|first=Andy|last=Kellman}}.</ref> On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as the [[MusiCares]] Person of the Year, and performed "[[Never Gonna Break My Faith]]", which had won her the [[Grammy]] for best gospel performance<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.grammy.com/awards/50th-annual-grammy-awards|title = 2007 Grammy Winners | year= 2007|publisher=[[Grammy Awards]]|access-date=May 11, 2023}}</ref> the year before. Twelve years later, an unheard performance of "[[Never Gonna Break My Faith]]" was released in June 2020 to commemorate [[Juneteenth]] with a new video visualizing the American human rights movement. This caused the song to enter the ''Billboard'' gospel charts at number one, giving Franklin the distinction of having had a number one record in every decade since the 1960s. On November 18, 2008, she performed "[[Respect (song)|Respect]]" and "[[Chain of Fools]]" at ''[[Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]''.

On January 20, 2009, Franklin made international headlines for performing "[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]" at President [[Barack Obama]]'s [[first inauguration of Barack Obama|inaugural ceremony]] with her church hat becoming a popular topic online. In 2010, Franklin accepted an honorary degree from [[Yale University]].<ref name=clinton>{{Cite news |url = http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2010/may/24/univ-confers-3243-degrees-at-309th-commencement |first = Lauren |last = Rosenthal |work = Yale Daily News |date = May 24, 2010 |title = Univ. confers 3,243 degrees at 309th Commencement |access-date = November 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120925191603/http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2010/may/24/univ-confers-3243-degrees-at-309th-commencement/ |archive-date = September 25, 2012 }}</ref> In 2011, under her own label, Aretha's Records, she issued the album ''[[Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love]]''.

[[File:Aretha Franklin 2015.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Franklin performs in the [[East Room]] of the [[White House]] in 2015]]
In 2014, Franklin was signed under RCA Records, controller of the Arista catalog and a sister label to Columbia via [[Sony Music Entertainment]], and worked with Clive Davis. There were plans for her to record an album produced by [[Danger Mouse (musician)|Danger Mouse]], who was replaced with [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]] and [[Don Was]] when Danger Mouse left the project.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCollum |first1=Brian |title=Aretha Franklin talks new album, says health is 'fine' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/10/16/aretha-franklin-new-album/2997323/ |website=[[USA Today]] |date=October 16, 2013|access-date=January 29, 2022}}</ref> On September 29, 2014, Franklin performed to a standing ovation, with [[Cissy Houston]] as backup, a compilation of [[Adele]]'s "[[Rolling in the Deep]]" and "[[Ain't No Mountain High Enough]]" on the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''. Franklin's cover of "Rolling in the Deep" was featured among nine other songs in her first RCA release, ''[[Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics]]'', released in October 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-the-great-diva-classics-mw0002760429 |title = Sings the Great Diva Classics – Aretha Franklin |website = AllMusic |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> In doing so, she became the first woman to have 100 songs on ''Billboard''{{'s}} Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with the success of her cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", which debuted at number 47 on the chart.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/aretha-franklin-100th-hit-r-and-b-chart/|title=Aretha Franklin Notches Milestone 100th Hit on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart|last=Mendizabal |first=Amaya|magazine=Billboard|date=October 8, 2014|access-date=July 1, 2021}}</ref>

In December 2015, Franklin gave an acclaimed performance of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the 2015 [[Kennedy Center Honors]] during the section for honoree [[Carole King]], who co-wrote the song.<!-- (Perhaps) over-citing to justify "universally acclaimed", which has been changed to "acclaimed" --><ref>{{cite web |last1 = Miller |first1 = Matt |title = Aretha Franklin Just Brought the Leader of the Free World to Tears |url = http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/news/a40849/aretha-franklin-obama-kennedy-center/ |website = [[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |access-date = December 31, 2015 |date = December 30, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hattenstone|first1=Simon|author-link=Simon Hattenstone|title = Obama cries as Aretha Franklin proves why she's the queen of soul |url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/dec/30/president-barack-obama-cries-aretha-franklin-kennedy-center |website = The Guardian |access-date = December 31, 2015 |date = December 30, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1 = Kreps |first1 = Daniel |title = Watch Aretha Franklin Bring Obama to Tears at Kennedy Center Honors |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-aretha-franklin-wow-barack-obama-at-kennedy-center-honors-20151230 |magazine = Rolling Stone |access-date = December 31, 2015 |date = December 30, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151230225346/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-aretha-franklin-wow-barack-obama-at-kennedy-center-honors-20151230 |archive-date = December 30, 2015 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref> During the swelling bridge of the song, Franklin dramatically dropped her fur coat from her shoulders to the stage, for which the audience rewarded her with a mid-performance [[standing ovation]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://jawbreaker.nyc/2015/12/aretha-franklin-dropping-her-fur-coat-at-kennedy-center-honors-is-ultimate-life-goals/ |title = Aretha Franklin Dropping Her Fur Coat at 'Kennedy Center Honors' is Ultimate Life Goals! |first = Britney |last = Fennell |website = Jawbreaker |date = December 30, 2015 |access-date = January 2, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180322184332/http://jawbreaker.nyc/2015/12/aretha-franklin-dropping-her-fur-coat-at-kennedy-center-honors-is-ultimate-life-goals/ |archive-date = March 22, 2018 |url-status = usurped }}</ref><ref name=Remnick /> Dropping the coat was symbolic according to ''Rolling Stone'': it "echoed back to those times when gospel queens would toss their furs on top of the coffins of other gospel queens — a gesture that honored the dead but castigated death itself".<ref name="RStone" />

She returned to Detroit's [[Ford Field]] on Thanksgiving Day 2016 to once again perform the national anthem before the game between the [[Lions–Vikings rivalry|Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions]]. Seated behind the piano, wearing a black fur coat and Lions stocking cap, Franklin gave a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that lasted more than four minutes and featured a host of improvisations.<ref>{{cite web |title = That time Aretha Franklin dazzled America on Thanksgiving with national anthem |url = http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/that-time-aretha-franklin-dazzled-america-on-thanksgiving-with-national-anthem |publisher = WJBK |access-date = August 13, 2018 |date = August 13, 2018 }}</ref> Franklin released the album ''[[A Brand New Me (Aretha Franklin album)|A Brand New Me]]'' in November 2017 with the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]], which uses archived recordings from Franklin.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/11/10/aretha-franklin-classic-old-records-royal-philharmonic-brand-new-me-album/850076001/ |title = Aretha Franklin's classic old records get Royal Philharmonic garnish |website = Detroit Free Press |first = Brian |last = McCollum |date = November 11, 2017 |access-date = August 13, 2018 }}</ref>

Franklin canceled some concerts in 2017 for health reasons. Nevertheless, she was still garnering highly favorable reviews for her skill and showmanship.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/06/10/aretha-franklin-detroit-free-concert/102724350 |title = Aretha Franklin gives Detroit something to remember |work = [[The Detroit News]] |first = Adam |last = Graham |date = June 10, 2017 |access-date = August 4, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ent-0403-aretha-franklin-review-20170401-story.html |title = Review: Aretha Franklin buoyant at Chicago Theatre |last = Cohen |first = Aaron |date = April 1, 2017 |work = Chicago Tribune |access-date = August 23, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://hellobeautiful.com/2948669/aretha-franklin-reveals-stunning-weight-loss |title = The Diva Has Returned: Aretha Franklin Reveals Stunning Weight Loss |newspaper = Hellobeautiful |first = Sonya |last = Eskridge |date = July 31, 2017 |access-date = August 4, 2017 }}</ref> At the [[Ravinia Festival]] on September 3, 2017, she gave her last full concert.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsbradio.com/news/national/the-queen-soul-aretha-franklin-dies/vn4wADpRuzhXxhG8hDoxgK/ |title=Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin dies: A look back at her legacy |last=Ruggieri |first=Melissa |date=August 16, 2018 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=September 2, 2018 |language=en |via=WSB Radio |archive-date=September 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902221105/https://www.wsbradio.com/news/national/the-queen-soul-aretha-franklin-dies/vn4wADpRuzhXxhG8hDoxgK/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://chicagoconcertreviews.com/2018/08/16/aretha-franklin/ |title=Relive Aretha Franklin at Ravinia for what wound up being her final full concert ever! – Chicago Concert Reviews |last=Argyrakis |first=Andy |date=August 16, 2018 |website=Chicago Concert Reviews |language=en-US|access-date=September 2, 2018}}</ref> Franklin's final public performance was at the [[Cathedral of St. John the Divine]] in New York City during [[Elton John]]'s 25th anniversary gala for the [[Elton John AIDS Foundation]] on November 7, 2017.<ref>{{cite magazine |url = https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8030152/elton-john-aids-foundation-25-year-gala |title = Elton John Celebrates 25 Years of His Foundation With Help From Bill Clinton, Aretha Franklin & Neil Patrick Harris |magazine = Billboard |first = Joe |last = Lynch |date = November 8, 2017 |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref>

==Music style and image==
[[File: Aretha Franklin, The Gospel Tradition In Performance at the White House, 2015.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Franklin waiting to perform at the White House, in 2015]]
According to [[Richie Unterberger]], Franklin was "one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged".<ref name="Unterberger"/> She had often been described as a great singer and musician because of "vocal flexibility, interpretive intelligence, skillful piano-playing, her ear, her experience".{{sfn|Dobkin|2006|p=8}} Franklin's voice was described as being a "powerful [[mezzo-soprano]] voice". She was praised for her arrangements and interpretations of other artists' hit songs.{{sfn|Whitaker|2011|p=312}} According to [[David Remnick]], what "distinguishes her is not merely the breadth of her catalog or the cataract force of her vocal instrument; it's her musical intelligence, her way of singing behind the beat, of spraying a wash of notes over a single word or syllable, of constructing, moment by moment, the emotional power of a three-minute song. 'Respect' is as precise an artifact as a Ming vase."<ref name=Remnick /> Describing Franklin's voice on her first album, ''[[Songs of Faith (Aretha Franklin album)|Songs of Faith]]'', released in 1956 when she was just 14, Jerry Wexler explained that it "was not that of a child but rather of an ecstatic [[hierophant]]".{{sfn|McMahon|2000|p=373}} Critic Randy Lewis assessed her skills as a pianist as "magic" and "inspirational". Musicians and professionals alike – such as Elton John, [[Keith Richards]], Carole King, and Clive Davis – were fans of her piano performances.<ref>{{Cite news |url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-aretha-franklin-piano-20180816-story.html |title = The voice was incredible, but Aretha Franklin at the piano was also pure magic |last = Lewis |first = Randy |date = August 16, 2018 |newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> In 2015, President [[Barack Obama]] wrote the following regarding Franklin:{{blockquote|Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R. & B., rock and roll—the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. American history wells up when Aretha sings. That's why, when she sits down at a piano and sings 'A Natural Woman,' she can move me to tears—the same way that Ray Charles's version of 'America the Beautiful' will always be in my view the most patriotic piece of music ever performed—because it captures the fullness of the American experience, the view from the bottom as well as the top, the good and the bad, and the possibility of synthesis, reconciliation, transcendence.<ref name=Bort>Bort, Ryan (August 16, 2018), [https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/aretha-franklin-barack-obama-710407/ "The Special Bond Between Aretha Franklin and Barack Obama"], ''Rolling Stone''.</ref>}}

==Activism==
[[File:Aretha-Franklin-MLKJR-Memorial.jpg|thumb|upright|Franklin performing at the [[Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial]] in 2011 with President [[Barack Obama]] and then-Vice President [[Joe Biden]] looking on.]]
From her time growing up in the home of a prominent African-American preacher to the end of her life, Franklin was immersed and involved in the struggle for [[Civil rights movement|civil rights]] and [[women's rights]]. She provided money for civil rights groups, at times covering payroll, and performed at benefits and protests.<ref name=Lang>{{Cite magazine |url = https://time.com/5369587/aretha-franklin-civil-rights/ |title = Aretha Franklin Had a Huge Impact on the Civil Rights Movement |last = Lang |first = Cady |date = August 16, 2018 |magazine = Time |access-date = August 21, 2018 }}</ref> 

When [[Angela Davis]] was jailed in 1970, Franklin told ''[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]'': "Angela Davis must go free&nbsp;... Black people will be free. I've been locked up (for disturbing the peace in Detroit) and I know you got to disturb the peace when you can't get no peace. Jail is hell to be in. I'm going to see her free if there is any justice in our courts, not because I believe in communism, but because she's a Black woman and she wants freedom for Black people."<ref name=Lang /> 

Her songs "Respect" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" became anthems of these movements for social change.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/arts/aretha-franklin-dead-civil-rights.html |title = Aretha Franklin, Civil Rights Stalwart: 'In Her Voice, We Could Feel Our History' |first = Sandra E.|last= Garcia |date = August 17, 2018 |work = The New York Times |access-date = August 21, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |url = https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/08/aretha-franklin-history-with-civil-rights |title = Aretha Franklin's History with Civil Rights, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Barack Obama |last = Weaver |first = Hilary |date = August 16, 2018 |magazine = [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |access-date = August 21, 2018 }}</ref> 

Franklin and several other American icons declined to take part in performing at President [[Donald Trump]]'s 2017 inauguration as a mass act of musical protest.<ref name="Blim2017">{{cite journal |last1=Blim |first1=Dan |title=Party Politics: Ideology and Musical Performance at Donald Trump's Inaugural Celebration |journal=American Music |date=December 1, 2017 |volume=35 |issue=4 |page=487 |doi=10.5406/americanmusic.35.4.0478 |s2cid=158519302 |issn=0734-4392 |oclc=7788409108}}</ref> 

Franklin was also a strong supporter of Native American rights.<ref name="imn">{{cite web |first = Vincent |last=Schilling |title = Suzan Shown Harjo: Remembering a moment in time with the late Aretha Franklin |url = https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/news/through-a-musical-career-of-more-than-five-decades-aretha-franklin-had-more-than-100-singles-on-the--fdLeHshWkaxfYC3Dza2rw/ |date = August 18, 2018 |website = [[Indian Country Today]] |access-date = August 20, 2018 }}</ref> She quietly and without fanfare supported [[Indigenous peoples]]' struggles worldwide, and numerous movements that supported Native American and [[First Nations in Canada|First Nation]] cultural rights.<ref name="imn" />

==Personal life, death and funeral==
Franklin moved to New York City from Detroit in the 1960s where she lived until relocating to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. She eventually settled in the Los Angeles neighborhood of [[Encino, Los Angeles|Encino]], where she lived until 1982. She then returned to the Detroit suburb of [[Bloomfield Hills, Michigan|Bloomfield Hills]] to be close to her ailing father and siblings. Franklin maintained a residence there until her death. Following an incident in 1984, she cited a fear of flying that prevented her from traveling overseas; she performed only in North America afterwards.<ref name=wendy>{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXI72Wa65LU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/LXI72Wa65LU| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Interview|publisher=The Wendy Williams Show|date=March 2011|time =2:00|access-date=August 16, 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Franklin was [[Baptist]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Aretha Franklin Comes Home To New Bethel Baptist Church |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/aretha-franklin-arrives-new-bethel-baptist-church/ |website=CBS News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811215908/https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/aretha-franklin-arrives-new-bethel-baptist-church/ |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |date=August 30, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Franklin was the mother of four sons. She first became pregnant at the age of 12 and gave birth to her first child, named Clarence after her father,{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|pp=58–59}} on January 28, 1955. In one of her handwritten wills, discovered in 2019, Franklin revealed that the father was Edward Jordan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/music/aretha-franklin-s-handwritten-wills-if-real-shed-light-titanic-n1008611|title=Aretha Franklin's handwritten wills, if real, shed light on a titanic – and complicated – life|last=Johnson|first=Alex|date=May 21, 2019|publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date=May 27, 2019}}</ref> On August 31, 1957, at the age of 15, Franklin had a second child fathered by Jordan, named Edward Derone Franklin after his father.<ref name="MN">{{cite web |url = https://madamenoire.com/484503/biographer-paints-different-portrait-of-aretha-franklin/ |title = Orgies, Attitudes And Anxieties: Biographer Paints Different Portrait Of Aretha Franklin |first = Veronica |last = Wells |date = October 30, 2014 |website = Madame Noire }}</ref> Franklin did not like to discuss her early pregnancies with interviewers.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=48}} Both children took her family name. While Franklin was pursuing her singing career and "hanging out with [friends]", her grandmother Rachel and sister Erma took turns raising her children.{{sfn|''Ebony''|1995|p=32}} Franklin would visit them often.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=83}} Her third child, Ted White Jr., was born to Franklin and her husband Theodore "Ted" White in February 1964 and is known professionally as Teddy Richards.{{sfn|Ritz|2014|p=}} He provided guitar backing for his mother's band during live concerts.<ref>{{Cite news |url = http://www.ndtv.com/article/music/aretha-franklin-gets-engaged-163296 |title = Aretha Franklin gets engaged |publisher = [[NDTV]] |date = January 3, 2012 |access-date = April 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120709212128/http://www.ndtv.com/article/music/aretha-franklin-gets-engaged-163296 |archive-date = July 9, 2012 }}</ref> Her youngest son, Kecalf Cunningham, was born in April 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.itv.com/news/2018-08-16/aretha-franklin-obituary |title = Aretha Franklin Obituary |work = ITV News |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref>

Franklin was married twice. Her first husband was [[Ted White (manager)|Ted White]], whom she married in 1961 at the age of 18.<ref>{{cite journal|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RDkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57 |title = Sam Cooke's Brother, Charles, Is Shot In Detroit |journal= Jet |date = January 15, 1970 |page = 57 |via = Google Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title = Aretha Franklin |first = Ursula |last = Rivera |publisher = Rosen Publishing Group |page = [https://archive.org/details/arethafranklin0000rive/page/38 38] |year = 2002 |isbn = 978-0-8239-3639-7 |url = https://archive.org/details/arethafranklin0000rive/page/38 }}</ref> She had actually seen White the first time at a party held at her house in 1954.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|pp=44–45}} After a contentious marriage that was marred by [[domestic abuse]], Franklin separated from White in 1968 and divorced him in 1969.{{sfn|Bego|2001|pp=125–26}} She married actor [[Glynn Turman]], on April 11, 1978, at her father's church. By marrying Turman, Franklin became stepmother of Turman's three children. Franklin and Turman separated in 1982 after she returned to Michigan from California and they divorced in 1984.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |url=https://people.com/music/aretha-franklin-dead-glynn-turman-final-visit-closure/ |title=Aretha Franklin Ex Glynn Turman Reflects on Final Visit |date=August 16, 2018 |access-date=September 24, 2025}}</ref>

Franklin's sisters, [[Erma Franklin|Erma]] and [[Carolyn Franklin|Carolyn]], were professional musicians and spent years performing background vocals on Franklin's recordings. Following Franklin's divorce from Ted White, her brother Cecil became her manager and maintained that position until his death from lung cancer on December 26, 1989. Her sister Carolyn died in April 1988 from breast cancer and her eldest sister Erma died from throat cancer in September 2002. Franklin's half-brother Vaughn died in late 2002.<ref name="Salvatore">{{cite book |last=Salvatore |first=Nick |date=2005 |title=Singing in a Strange Land: C. L. Franklin, the Black Church, and the Transformation of America |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |type=hardcover |isbn=0-316-16037-7 |pages=61–62}}</ref> Her half-sister, Carol Ellan Kelley (née Jennings; 1940–2019), was C. L. Franklin's daughter by Mildred Jennings, a 12-year-old member of New Salem Baptist Church in Memphis where C. L. was pastor.<ref name="Salvatore" /> Franklin's father and idol, described as "unorthodox on every level," knowingly preyed on his pre-teen congregants.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014}}

Franklin was performing at the [[Aladdin Hotel]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], on June 10, 1979, when her father, C. L., was shot twice at point-blank range in his Detroit home.{{sfn|''Baltimore Afro-American''|1979}} After six months at [[Henry Ford Hospital]] while still in a coma, C. L. was moved back to his home with 24-hour nursing care. Aretha moved back to Detroit in late 1982 to assist with the care of her father, who died at Detroit's New Light Nursing Home on July 27, 1984.{{sfn|''Jet''|1984}}

[[File:Aretha Franklin US Open 2011.jpg|thumb|Franklin and William Wilkerson at the [[2011 US Open (tennis)|2011 US Open]]]]
Franklin had a long friendship with Willie Wilkerson, a [[Vietnam War]] veteran and Detroit firefighter, who also helped in her work and cared for her when ill.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9356110/aretha-franklin-willie-wilkerson-death|title=Aretha Franklin's 'Forever Friend' Willie Wilkerson Dies of COVID-19 at 72|magazine=Billboard|first=Gary|last=Graff|author-link=Gary Graff|date=April 10, 2020|access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> In 2012 she announced plans to marry Wilkerson<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/02/showbiz/aretha-franklin-engaged/?hpt=hp_c2 |publisher = CNN |title = Soul singer Aretha Franklin is engaged|author=<!--Not stated--> |date = January 2, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://blog.chron.com/celebritybuzz/2012/01/aretha-franklin-to-get-married-this-summer |title = Aretha Franklin to get married this summer &#124; Celebrity Buzz |website = Houston Chronicle |date = January 2, 2012 |access-date = May 13, 2012 |archive-date = June 17, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120617060410/http://blog.chron.com/celebritybuzz/2012/01/aretha-franklin-to-get-married-this-summer/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> but the engagement was quickly called off.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jan/23/aretha-franklin-calls-off-marriage |title = Aretha Franklin calls off marriage |newspaper = The Guardian |agency = Associated Press |date = January 23, 2012 |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> Franklin's music business friends included [[Dionne Warwick]], [[Mavis Staples]], and [[Cissy Houston]], who began singing with Franklin as members of the [[Sweet Inspirations]]. Houston sang background on Franklin's hit "Ain't No Way". Franklin first met Cissy's young daughter, [[Whitney Houston]], in the early 1970s. She was made Whitney's honorary aunt (not a godmother as has been occasionally reported) and Whitney often referred to her as "Auntie Ree" or "Aunt Ree".<ref>{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=0kXrAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA101 |title = Great African-American Women in America history Vol I |first = Henry |last = Epps |date = September 4, 2012 |publisher = Lulu.com |via = Google Books |access-date = August 16, 2018 |isbn = 978-1-300-16233-9 }}</ref> Franklin had to cancel plans to perform at Whitney Houston's memorial service on February 18, 2012, because of a leg spasm.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://watch.accesshollywood.com/search/aretha-franklin-talks-turning-70-years-old-shares-update-on-her-health/1531031155001?searchterm=aretha |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130116131613/http://watch.accesshollywood.com/search/aretha-franklin-talks-turning-70-years-old-shares-update-on-her-health/1531031155001?searchterm=aretha |url-status=dead |archive-date = January 16, 2013 |title = Aretha Franklin Talks Turning 70 Years Old, Shares Update on Her Health |website = [[Access Hollywood]] }}</ref> Franklin was a registered [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]].<ref>On an ABC promo aired on July 27, 2010, announcing Franklin and [[Condoleezza Rice]]'s appearing together in concert, there was a segment in which Franklin said, "I am a Democrat".</ref><ref>Resnikoff, Paul (November 25, 2016), [https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/11/25/aretha-franklin-longest-national-anthem/ "Aretha Franklin Plays the Longest National Anthem In U.S. History"], ''Digital Music News''.</ref> While her estate had been estimated at $80 million,<ref name="Wang-2018">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aretha-franklin-will-what-happens-718930/|title=Aretha Franklin's Estate Is Worth $80 Million. What Happens Now?|first=Amy|last=Wang|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 5, 2018}}</ref> according to the ''New York Times'', at her death it was valued at $18 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sisario |first1=Ben |last2=Hooper |first2=Ryan Patrick |date=2023-07-11 |title=Four Pages Found in a Couch Are Ruled Aretha Franklin's True Will |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/11/arts/music/aretha-franklin-will-couch.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Health===
Franklin had weight issues for many years. In 1974, she lost {{convert|40|lb}} on a [[very-low-calorie diet]]{{sfn|''Ebony''|1974}} and maintained her new weight until the end of the decade.{{sfn|Bego|2001|pp=162–65}} She again lost weight in the early 1990s, before gaining some back.<ref name="contactnews">{{cite news |url = http://www.contactmusic.com/news/aretha-franklin-reveals-tumour-scare_1282135 |title = Aretha Franklin Reveals Tumour Scare |work = Contact News |author = World Entertainment News Network |date = January 10, 2012 |access-date = May 26, 2013 }}</ref> A former [[chain smoking|chain smoker]] who struggled with alcoholism, she quit smoking in 1992.{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=305}} She admitted in 1994 that her smoking was "messing with my voice",{{sfn|''Ebony''|1995|p=30}} but after quitting smoking she said later, in 2003, that her weight "ballooned".{{sfn|''Jet''|2003|pp=62–63}}<!-- Minor ambiguity. When did she quit and when did she gain/lose and when did she talk about it.-->

In 2010, Franklin canceled a number of concerts to have surgery for an undisclosed tumor.<ref name="contactnews" /> Discussing the surgery in 2011, she quoted her doctor as saying that it would "add 15 to 20 years" to her life. She denied that the ailment had anything to do with [[pancreatic cancer]], as had been reported.<ref>{{cite web |website = Access |date = January 14, 2011 |url = https://www.accessonline.com/articles/aretha-franklin-sets-the-record-straight-on-her-health-i-dont-know-where-pancreatic-cancer-came-from-95435 |title = Aretha Franklin Sets The Record Straight On Her Health: 'I Don't Know Where Pancreatic Cancer Came From' }}</ref> Franklin added, "I don't have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors&nbsp;... The problem has been resolved". Following the surgery, Franklin lost 85 lbs.; however, she denied that she had undergone weight-loss surgery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/health/aretha-franklin-death-pancreatic-cancer-health-history/|title=Aretha Franklin Has Died of Pancreatic Cancer: A Look at Her Health Over the Last Decade|first=Julie |last=Mazziotta|date=August 16, 2018 |website=People}}</ref> On May 19, 2011, Franklin had her comeback show at the [[Chicago Theatre]].<ref>{{cite news |first = Bob |last = Gendron |url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/05/20/aretha-franklin-in-glorious-form-at-chicago-theatre/ |title = Aretha Franklin sings in Chicago |newspaper = Chicago Tribune |date = May 20, 2011 |access-date = March 20, 2014 }}</ref>

In May 2013, Franklin canceled two performances because of an undisclosed medical treatment.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-aretha-franklin-cancel-shows-treatment-20130513,0,6343514.story |title = Aretha Franklin cancels 2 shows for undisclosed ailment |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = May 13, 2013 |access-date = May 17, 2013 |first = Randy |last = Lewis }}</ref> Further concert cancellations followed in the summer<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/05/22/aretha-franklin-taking-june-off-postponing-shows/2350335 |title = Aretha Franklin taking June off, postponing shows |date = May 22, 2013 |access-date = May 23, 2013 |work = USA Today |agency = Associated Press }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/aretha-franklin-cancels-hometown-show-citing-treatment/ |title = Aretha Franklin cancels hometown show citing treatment |publisher = CBS News |author = CBS/AP |date = July 12, 2013 |access-date = July 12, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/19/4420947/aretha-franklin-not-attending.html |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130822070429/http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/19/4420947/aretha-franklin-not-attending.html |url-status=dead |archive-date = August 22, 2013 |title = Aretha Franklin not attending baseball luncheon |first = Hillel |last = Italie |work = The Kansas City Star |date = August 19, 2013 |access-date = August 22, 2013 }}</ref> and fall.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/aretha-franklin-cancels-september-show-sparking-concerns-over-her-health/10709408 |title = Aretha Franklin Cancels September Show, Sparking Concerns Over Her Health |work = ArtistDirect |first = Katie |last = Sheehan |date = August 20, 2013 |access-date = August 22, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131023001746/http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/aretha-franklin-cancels-september-show-sparking-concerns-over-her-health/10709408 |archive-date = October 23, 2013 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all }}</ref> During a phone interview with the [[Associated Press]] in late August 2013, Franklin stated that she had had a "miraculous" recovery from her undisclosed illness but had to cancel shows and appearances until her health was at 100%, estimating she was about "85% healed".<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/08/21/aretha-franklin-says-shes-85-percent-healed/2680287 |title = Aretha Franklin says she's 85% healed |work = USA Today |agency=Associated Press|author=<!--Not stated--> |date = August 21, 2013 |access-date = August 22, 2013 }}</ref> Franklin later returned to live performing, including a 2013 Christmas concert at Detroit's [[MotorCity Casino Hotel]]. She launched a multi-city tour in mid-2014, starting with a performance on June 14 in New York at [[Radio City Music Hall]].<ref>{{cite web |first = Edna |last = Gundersen |website = USA Today |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/06/12/aretha-franklin-on-her-music-health-and-slimmer-wardrobe/10359741 |title = Aretha Franklin happily sheds weight, embraces future |date = June 12, 2014 |access-date = August 2, 2014 }}</ref>

In February 2017, Franklin announced in an interview with local Detroit television anchor, Evrod Cassimy, that 2017 would be her final year touring.<ref>Leight, Elias (February 9, 2017), [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aretha-franklin-announces-retirement-final-album-126417/ "Aretha Franklin Announces Retirement, Final Album"], ''Rolling Stone''.</ref> However, she scheduled some 2018 concert dates before canceling them based on her physician's advice.<ref name=Bort />

===Death and funeral===
On August 13, 2018, Franklin was reported to be gravely ill at her home in [[Riverfront Towers]], Detroit.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45172883 |title = Aretha Franklin said to be 'seriously ill' |work = BBC News |date = August 13, 2018 |access-date = August 13, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/08/13/aretha-franklin-gravely-sick/974630002 |title = Aretha Franklin 'gravely ill' in Detroit |last = Huschka |first = Amy |date = August 14, 2018 |work = Detroit Free Press |access-date = August 15, 2018 }}</ref> She was under [[hospice]] care and surrounded by friends and family. [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Jesse Jackson]] and former husband Glynn Turman visited her on her deathbed.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/stevie-wonder-says-goodbye-to-aretha-franklin-while-shes-in-hospice |title = Stevie Wonder Visits Aretha Franklin As 'Queen of Soul' Rests in Hospice Care |last = Clarendon |first = Dan |date = August 14, 2018 |work =[[Us Weekly]] |access-date = August 15, 2018 }}</ref> Franklin died at her home on August 16, 2018, aged 76.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.jpost.com/International/Queen-of-Soul-Aretha-Franklin-dies-at-home-in-Detroit-aged-76-565058 |title = 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin dies at home in Detroit aged 76 |agency = [[Reuters]] |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 17, 2018 |newspaper = [[The Jerusalem Post]] }}</ref> She was initially thought to have died without a will.<ref>{{cite web |first=Laura|last= Snapes|title=Aretha Franklin's newly discovered will complicates estate dispute |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/mar/12/aretha-franklin-newly-discovered-will-draft-complicates-estate-dispute |date = March 12, 2021 |access-date = October 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wisely |first1=John |title=This is what will happen to Aretha Franklin's estate |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/aretha-franklin/2018/08/22/aretha-franklin-fortune/1001566002/ |website=Detroit Free Press |date=August 22, 2018|access-date=October 14, 2018}}</ref> The cause of death was a malignant [[Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor|pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET)]],<ref name="UT20180828">{{cite web |first=Phoebe Wall |last=Howard |title=Dressed like a 'resplendent' queen, Aretha Franklin rests in gold casket |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2018/08/28/aretha-franklin-dressed-like-queen-she-rests-gold-casket/1124188002/ |work=USA Today |access-date=December 1, 2018 |date=August 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://netrf.org/aretha-franklin/|title=A note from the NET Research Foundation on the passing of Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul|date=August 16, 2018|publisher=Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation|access-date=August 19, 2018}}</ref> which is distinct from the most common form of [[pancreatic cancer]].<ref name="HC20180816">{{cite web |last1=Klein |first1=Sarah |title=Aretha Franklin Died of Advanced Neuroendocrine Pancreatic Cancer. Here's What That Means |url=https://www.health.com/condition/cancer/pancreatic-cancer-neuroendocrine-tumors |website=Health.com |access-date=December 1, 2018 |language=en |date=August 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://netrf.org/pancreatic-neuroendocrine-cancer-vs-pancreatic-cancer/|title=Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Cancer vs. Pancreatic Cancer|date=November 7, 2018|work=NET Research Foundation|access-date=November 30, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Numerous celebrities in the entertainment industry and politicians paid tribute to Franklin, including former U.S. President Barack Obama who said she "helped define the American experience".<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45215309 |title = Aretha Franklin: Tributes flow in for Queen of Soul |work = BBC News |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> Civil rights activist and minister [[Al Sharpton]] called her a "civil rights and humanitarian icon".<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45216581 |title = Aretha Franklin: The sound of the civil rights movement |work = BBC News |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref>

A memorial service was held at her home church, [[New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan)|New Bethel Baptist Church]], on August 19.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45245361 |title = Aretha Franklin: Date set for Detroit funeral |work = BBC News |date = August 20, 2018 |access-date = August 20, 2018 }}</ref> Thousands then paid their respects during the public lying-in-repose at the [[Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/28/aretha-franklin-thousands-expected-to-pay-respects-in-detroit |title=Aretha Franklin: thousands pay respects to 'Queen of Soul' in Detroit |last=Mixon |first=Imani |newspaper=The Guardian|date=August 28, 2018|access-date=September 16, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The August 31 [[Homegoing|Homegoing Service]] held at [[Greater Grace Temple]] in Detroit, included multiple tributes by celebrities, politicians, friends and family members and was streamed by some news agencies<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-45366171/aretha-franklin-funeral-service|title=Aretha Franklin funeral service|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|date= August 31, 2018|access-date=August 31, 2018}}</ref> such as [[Fox News]], [[CNN]], [[The Word Network]], [[BET]] and [[MSNBC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/aretha-franklins-funeral-live-streams-watch/|title=Aretha Franklin's Funeral Live Streams: Watch |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |first=Michelle|last= Kim|date=August 31, 2018|language=en|access-date=August 31, 2018}}</ref> Among those who paid tribute to Aretha at the service were [[Ariana Grande]], [[Bill Clinton]], [[Al Sharpton|Rev. Al Sharpton]], [[Louis Farrakhan]], [[Faith Hill]], [[Fantasia Barrino|Fantasia]], [[the Clark Sisters]], [[Ronald Isley]], [[Angie Stone]], [[Chaka Khan]], [[Jennifer Holliday]], [[Loretta Devine]], [[Jennifer Hudson]], [[Queen Latifah]], [[Tasha Cobbs Leonard|Tasha Cobbs]], [[Shirley Caesar]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Shirley Caesar at Aretha Franklin's funeral |url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/shirley-caesar-at-aretha-franklin-s-funeral/image_cd2ba852-ad42-11e8-8a55-9fb4f3168713.html |date=August 31, 2018|access-date=September 1, 2018 |work=[[Gwinnett Daily Post]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-aretha-franklin-funeral-notebook-20180831-story.html|title=Aretha Franklin’s funeral was as churchy as she was|first=Mikael|last=Wood|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 31, 2018|access-date=October 2, 2025}}</ref> [[Shirma Rouse]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shirma Rouse |url=https://www.gooisjazzfestival.nl/artiesten/shirma-rouse/l57c3 |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=gooisjazzfestival.nl |language=nl |archive-date=March 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311130442/https://www.gooisjazzfestival.nl/artiesten/shirma-rouse/l57c3 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Eric Holder]], [[Gladys Knight]], [[Cedric the Entertainer]], [[Tyler Perry]], [[Smokey Robinson]], [[Yolanda Adams]], and [[William Barber II|Rev. Dr. William Barber II]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2018/08/31/aretha-franklins-funeral-celebrities-pay-tribute-queen-soul/1146846002/|first=Maria |last=Puente|title=Aretha Franklin's funeral: Ariana Grande, Bill Clinton, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder pay tribute|work=USA Today|date=August 31, 2018|access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kennedy |first1=Gerrick D. |title=Aretha Franklin's funeral: Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder offer stirring final tributes |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-aretha-franklin-funeral-notebook-20180831-story.html |access-date=November 26, 2021 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> At Franklin's request she was eulogized by Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. of Salem Baptist Church in Atlanta, as he had eulogized her father as well as speaking at other family memorials.<ref>{{YouTube|id=xS5nUN1S2mU|title=Rev. Jasper Williams under fire for remarks during Aretha Franklin's funeral"}}. YouTube video, September 2, 2018.</ref> Williams's eulogy was criticized for being "a political address that described children being in a home without a father as 'abortion after birth' and said black lives do not matter unless blacks stop killing each other". Franklin's nephew Vaughan complained of Williams: "He spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her."<ref>The Associated Press (August 31, 2018), [https://globalnews.ca/news/4422601/aretha-franklin-reverend-jasper-williams-eulogy/ "Reverend accused of bigotry, misogyny after fiery eulogy for Aretha Franklin"], ''Global News''.</ref><ref>Bauder, David (September 3, 2018), [https://globalnews.ca/news/4425304/aretha-franklin-funeral-offensive-eulogy/ "Aretha Franklin funeral: pastor offends family after he didn't 'properly eulogize her'"], ''Global News''.</ref> Following a telecast procession up [[Seven Mile Road]], Franklin was interred at [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit)|Woodlawn Cemetery]] in Detroit.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/aretha-franklin/2018/09/13/aretha-franklin-death-tomb/1288836002/ |title=Aretha's tomb is open to the public and fans are paying their respects |first=Marc |last=Daalder|work=Detroit Free Press |date=September 14, 2018|access-date=September 16, 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Entombed">{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.inquirer.net/291321/aretha-franklin-interred-at-detroit-cemetery|agency=Associated Press|title=Aretha Franklin interred at Detroit cemetery|date=September 1, 2018|access-date=September 3, 2018|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]}}</ref>

==Legacy and honors==
[[File: Aretha Franklin honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Franklin wipes a tear after being given the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] on November 9, 2005, at the [[White House]]. She is seated between fellow recipients [[Robert Conquest]] (left) and [[Alan Greenspan]]]]
Franklin received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] in 1979, had her voice declared a Michigan "natural resource" in 1985,{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=238}} and became the first woman inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1987.{{sfn|''Ebony''|1995|p=29}} The [[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] awarded her a [[Grammy Legend Award]] in 1991, then the [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]] in 1994. Franklin was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1994, recipient of the [[National Medal of Arts]] in 1999, recipient of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]]'s Golden Plate Award presented by Awards Council member [[Coretta Scott King]],<ref>{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://achievement.org/achiever/aretha-franklin/|title=Aretha Franklin|website=Academy of Achievement}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Photo: 2012: Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is joined onstage by Awards Council member General Colin Powell during her memorable musical performance to close the evening of the 50th annual Banquet of the Golden Plate ceremonies.|publisher=[[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://achievement.org/summit/}}</ref> and was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 by then President [[George W. Bush]].{{Sfn|Bracks|2012|p=365}} She was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005,<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/mrrl-hall-of-fame/70-aretha-franklin |title = Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – Aretha Franklin |website = michiganrockandrolllegends.com |access-date = August 15, 2018 }}</ref> and the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015.<ref>{{cite journal |url = https://www.bluesmagazine.nl/2015-rhythm-blues-music-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/ |title = Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame 2015 Induction Ceremony Was A Big Hit |journal = Blues Magazine |date = June 13, 2015 |access-date = August 26, 2018 }}</ref> Franklin became the second woman inducted to the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]] in 2005. She was the 2008 [[MusiCares Person of the Year]], performing at the [[50th Annual Grammy Awards|Grammys]] days later. In 2019 she was awarded a [[Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards|Pulitzer Prize Special Citation]] "[f]or her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades".<ref>{{cite web |title=Announcement of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winners |url=https://www.pulitzer.org/news/announcement-2019-pulitzer-prize-winners |website=The [[Pulitzer Prize]]s |date=April 15, 2019|access-date= April 15, 2019}}</ref> Franklin was the first individual woman to receive a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/aretha-franklin-makes-history-with-posthumous-pulitzer-win/ar-BBVY1n7?OCID=ansmsnnews11 |title=Aretha Franklin makes history with posthumous Pulitzer win |first=Mesfin| last= Fekadu|publisher=MSN |date=April 15, 2019 |access-date=April 15, 2019}}</ref> At the beginning of her career, [[Siouxsie Sioux]] named her as her favourite female singer.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Siouxsie Sioux – Selections |journal=[[NME]] |date= January 24, 1981}}</ref>

In 2010 Franklin was ranked first on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time"<ref name="100 Greatest Singers"/> and ninth on their list of "[[Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time|100 Greatest Artists of All Time]]".<ref name="100 Greatest Artists">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/aretha-franklin-20110420 |title = 100 Greatest Artists of All Time |magazine = Rolling Stone |date = December 3, 2010 |access-date = December 2, 2018 |archive-date = November 25, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171125053339/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/aretha-franklin-20110420 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Following news of Franklin's surgery and recovery in February 2011, the [[53rd Annual Grammy Awards|Grammys ceremony]] paid tribute to the singer with a medley of her classics performed by [[Christina Aguilera]], [[Florence Welch]], [[Jennifer Hudson]], [[Martina McBride]], and [[Yolanda Adams]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.grammy.com/news/stars-to-join-for-aretha-franklin-tribute |title = Stars To Join For Aretha Franklin Tribute |publisher = [[Grammy Awards]] |first=Tim|last=McPhate|date = December 2, 2014 }}</ref> That same year, she was ranked 19th among the [[List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones|''Billboard'' Hot 100 All-Time top artists]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-artists-20.shtml |title = The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists (20-01) |magazine = Rolling Stone |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130116133045/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-artists-20.shtml |archive-date = January 16, 2013 |url-status=dead |access-date = July 8, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://news.sky.com/story/soul-singer-aretha-franklin-seriously-ill-says-close-source-11471820 |title = Soul singer Aretha Franklin 'seriously ill' and 'surrounded by family' says close source |publisher = Sky News |first = Philip |last = Whiteside |date = August 14, 2018 |access-date = August 15, 2018 }}</ref>

When ''Rolling Stone'' listed the "Women in Rock: 50 Essential Albums" in 2002 and again in 2012, it listed Franklin's 1967 ''I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You'' at number one.<ref>{{Cite news |url = http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20180816/aretha-franklin-remembered-by-sarasotas-jerry-wexler-her-legendary-producer |title = Aretha Franklin remembered by Sarasota's Jerry Wexler, her legendary producer |last = Tatangelo |first = Wade |date = August 16, 2018 |work = Sarasota Herald |access-date = August 23, 2018 |language = en }}</ref> Inducted to the [[Gospel Music Association|GMA]] [[Gospel Music Hall of Fame]] in 2012, Franklin was described as "the voice of the civil rights movement, the voice of black America".{{sfn|Dobkin|2006|p=6}}<ref>{{cite book |last = Bego |first = Mark |title = Aretha Franklin: The Queen Of Soul |year = 1989 |publisher = St Martin's Press |page = [https://archive.org/details/arethafranklinq000bego/page/108 108] |location = New York |isbn = 978-0-7090-4053-8 |url = https://archive.org/details/arethafranklinq000bego |url-access = registration }}</ref> Asteroid [[249516 Aretha]] was named in her honor in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title = (249516) Aretha = 2010 CV60 |publisher = IAU Minor Planet Center |url = http://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?utf8=%E2%9C%93&object_id=aretha |access-date = April 7, 2015 }}</ref> The next year, ''Billboard'' named her the greatest female R&B artist of all time.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/6737387/best-r-and-b-singers-of-all-time|title=The 35 Greatest R&B Artists Of All Time |magazine=Billboard|date=November 12, 2015|access-date=April 12, 2020}}</ref> In 2018, Franklin was inducted in to the [[Memphis Music Hall of Fame]].

"American history wells up when Aretha sings", President Obama explained in response to her performance of "A Natural Woman" at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. "Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R&B, rock and roll—the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope."<ref name=Remnick>Remnick, David (April 4, 2016), [http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/04/04/aretha-franklins-american-soul "Soul Survivor: The revival and hidden treasure of Aretha Franklin"], ''[[The New Yorker]]''.</ref> Franklin later recalled the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors as one of the best nights of her life.<ref name=Remnick /> On June 8, 2017, the City of Detroit honored Franklin's legacy by renaming a portion of Madison Street, between Brush and Witherell Streets, Aretha Franklin Way.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/06/08/aretha-franklin-street-renaming-detroit-ceremony/380959001 |title = 'Aretha Franklin Way' street unveiled for tearful Queen of Soul |first= Brian |last=McCollum|website = Detroit Free Press |date = June 8, 2017 |access-date = June 25, 2017 }}</ref> The Aretha Franklin Post Office Building was named in 2021, and is located at 12711 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan.<ref>🖉{{Cite web|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/bill-announcement-010521-2/|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|publisher=[[White House]]|title=Bill Announcement|date=January 5, 2021}}</ref>

''Rolling Stone'' called Franklin "the greatest singer of her generation".<ref name="RStone" /> In April 2021, Aretha Franklin was featured in ''National Geographic'' magazine and in the previous month, the society began airing the third season of the television series ''[[Genius (American TV series)|Genius]]'' about her life and career.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/how-tv-crew-meticulously-recreated-aretha-franklin-extraordinary-life?loggedin=true|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008133405/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/how-tv-crew-meticulously-recreated-aretha-franklin-extraordinary-life?loggedin=true|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 8, 2021|title=How a TV crew meticulously re-created Aretha Franklin's extraordinary life|first=Jacqueline|last=Cutler|magazine=National Geographic|date=March 19, 2021|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Deneen L. Brown">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/how-pain-and-passion-shaped-the-genius-of-aretha-franklin-feature|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318133916/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/how-pain-and-passion-shaped-the-genius-of-aretha-franklin-feature|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 18, 2021|title=How pain and passion shaped the genius of Aretha Franklin|first=Deneen L.|last=Brown|magazine=National Geographic|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref> After working with the artist for nearly four decades, [[Clive Davis]], said that Aretha "understood the essence of both language and melody and was able to take it to a place very few—if any—could". According to ''National Geographic'', "she was a musical genius unmatched in her range, power, and soul".<ref name="Deneen L. Brown" />

===Honorary degrees===
Franklin received honorary degrees from [[Harvard University]] and [[New York University]] in 2014,<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2014/may/new-york-university-holds-182nd-commencement-in-yankee-stadium.html |author =News Release|title = New York University Holds 182nd Commencement at Yankee Stadium |publisher=NYU|date = May 21, 2014 }}</ref> as well as honorary doctorates in music from [[Princeton University]], 2012;<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.princeton.edu/news/2012/06/05/princeton-awards-six-honorary-degrees |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title = Princeton awards six honorary degrees |date = June 5, 2012 |publisher = Princeton University |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> [[Yale University]], 2010;<ref>{{cite web |url = https://news.yale.edu/2010/05/24/yale-s-309th-commencement-pomp-ceremony-and-r-e-s-p-e-c-t |title = Yale's 309th Commencement: Pomp, ceremony and r-e-s-p-e-c-t |first = Susan |last = Gonzalez |date = May 24, 2010 |publisher = Yale University |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> [[Brown University]], 2009;<ref>{{cite web |url = https://news.brown.edu/articles/2009/05/aretha |title = Aretha Franklin Unable to Attend 241st Commencement Sunday |first = Mark |last = Nickel |date = May 19, 2009 |publisher = Brown University |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> the [[University of Pennsylvania]], 2007;<ref>{{cite web |url = https://almanac.upenn.edu/archive/volumes/v53/n25/commencement.html |title = Commencement 2007: Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients |date = March 13, 2007 |publisher = University of Pennsylvania |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> [[Berklee College of Music]], 2006;<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.berklee.edu/about/honorary-degree-recipients |title = Honorary Degree Recipients |publisher = Berklee |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> the [[New England Conservatory of Music]], 1997;<ref>{{cite web |url = http://necmusic.edu/honorary-doctor-music |title = NEC Honorary Doctor of Music Degree |publisher = New England Conservatory |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> and the [[University of Michigan]], 1987.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.thestreet.com/lifestyle/aretha-franklin-career-achievements-14685841 |title = Aretha Franklin's 5 Most Impressive Career Achievements |first = Steve |last = Fiorillo |work = The Street |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref> She was awarded an honorary [[Doctor of Humane Letters]] by [[Case Western Reserve University]] 2011<ref>{{Cite news |url = http://thedaily.case.edu/aretha-franklin-to-receive-honorary-degree-nov-5/ |title = Aretha Franklin to receive honorary degree Nov. 5 |date = October 24, 2011 |work = The Daily |access-date = August 23, 2018 |language = en-US }}</ref> and [[Wayne State University]] in 1990 and an honorary [[Doctor of Law]] degree by [[Bethune–Cookman University]] in 1975.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2014/05/aretha_franklin_receives_honorary_degree_from_harvard_university.html |title = Aretha Franklin Receives Honorary Degree From Harvard University |first = Yesha |last = Callahan |date = May 29, 2014 |website = The Root |access-date = October 4, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141006123853/http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2014/05/aretha_franklin_receives_honorary_degree_from_harvard_university.html |archive-date = October 6, 2014 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

===Tributes===
After Franklin's death, fans added unofficial tributes to two [[New York City Subway]] stations: the [[Franklin Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|Franklin Street]] station in [[Manhattan]], served by the {{NYCS trains|Broadway-Seventh local header}}, and the [[Franklin Avenue-Fulton Street (New York City Subway)|Franklin Avenue]] station in [[Brooklyn]], served by the {{NYCS trains|Franklin-Fulton header}}. Both stations were originally named after other people. Although the fan tributes were later taken down, the subway system's operator, the [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority]], placed permanent black-and-white stickers with the word "Respect" next to the "Franklin" name signs in each station.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=NYC Subway Stations Pay Tribute to Aretha Franklin With 'Respect' Signs|first=Rania|last=Aniftos|date=September 4, 2018|magazine=Billboard|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8473448/nyc-subway-stations-aretha-franklin-tribute|access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Mocker | first=Greg | title=New Yorkers pay tribute to Aretha Franklin on MTA subway stations | website=WPIX 11 New York | date=August 1, 2018 | url=https://pix11.com/2018/08/31/respect-for-aretha-franklin-at-mta-subway-stations-in-nyc/ | access-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref>

During the [[American Music Awards]] on October 9, 2018, the show was closed by bringing [[Gladys Knight]], [[Donnie McClurkin]], [[Ledisi]], [[Cece Winans]], and [[Mary Mary]] together to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. The "all-star" group performed gospel songs, including renditions from Franklin's 1972 album, ''Amazing Grace''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/events/amas/8479203/aretha-franklin-tribute-amas-2018-gladys-knight |title=2018 AMAs Aretha Franklin Tribute Brings Out Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Mary Mary and More |first=Andrew|last= Unterberger|magazine=Billboard |date=October 9, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/gladys-knight-performs-moving-tribute-to-aretha-franklin-at-the-amas-37403503.html |title=Gladys Knight performs moving tribute to Aretha Franklin at the AMAs – Independent.ie |last=Southern |first=Keiran |work=Irish Independent |date=October 10, 2018|access-date=October 12, 2018 |agency=Press Association |language=en}}</ref>

A tribute concert, "Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul", was organized by [[CBS]] and [[the Recording Academy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/all-star-lineup-pay-tribute-aretha-grammy-celebration-queen-soul|title=All-Star Lineup To Pay Tribute At 'Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul|date=December 27, 2018|website=[[Grammy Awards]]|first=Philip|last=Merrill|language=en|access-date=January 2, 2019}}</ref> on January 13, 2019, at the [[Shrine Auditorium]] in Los Angeles. The concert included performances by [[Smokey Robinson]], [[Janelle Monáe]], [[Alicia Keys]], [[John Legend]], [[Kelly Clarkson]], [[Celine Dion]], [[Alessia Cara]], [[Patti LaBelle]], [[Jennifer Hudson]], [[Chloe x Halle]], [[H.E.R.]], [[SZA]], [[Brandi Carlile]], [[Yolanda Adams]] and [[Shirley Caesar]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/music/news/aretha-franklin-tyler-perry-tribute-cbs-special-1203095831/|title=Tyler Perry to Host Aretha Franklin Tribute Special for CBS, Recording Academy|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=December 27, 2018|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=December 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aretha-franklin-tribute-special-janelle-monae-alicia-keys-john-legend-772899/|title=Aretha Franklin Tribute Concert Lines Up Janelle Monae, Alicia Keys, John Legend|last=Reed|first=Ryan|date=December 27, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=December 28, 2018}}</ref> and was recorded for television, airing on March 10.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/b05f36d397b34eb9998ad172a1bb5403 |title=Aretha Franklin honored with star-studded tribute concert |last=Landrum |first=Jonathan Jr.|date=January 14, 2019 |work=Associated Press News|access-date=February 7, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://variety.com/2019/music/reviews/aretha-franklin-grammy-celebration-queen-soul-tv-tribute-1203159719/ |title=TV Review: 'Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul' |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=March 10, 2019 |work=Variety |access-date=March 23, 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

At the [[61st Annual Grammy Awards]], the ceremony was ended with a memorial tribute to the life and career of Franklin. The tribute concluded with a rendition of her 1968 hit, "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)", performed by [[Fantasia Barrino|Fantasia Barrino-Taylor]], [[Andra Day]] and [[Yolanda Adams]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/entertainment/aretha-franklin-grammys-tribute/index.html|title=Aretha Franklin honored at Grammys|last=Melas|first=Chloe|date=February 11, 2019|publisher=CNN|access-date=February 12, 2019}}</ref>

In 2019, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' created 89 new covers to celebrate women of the year starting from 1920; it chose Franklin for 1968.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/100-women-of-the-year/ |title=100 Women of the Year |magazine=Time |date=March 5, 2020 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |archive-date=December 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223082517/https://time.com/100-women-of-the-year/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Rick Price]] wrote a tribute "Farewell But Not Goodbye" for his ''Soulville'' album released in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=scenestr - 5 Musical Instruments That Inspired Rick Price To Become A Musician |url=https://scenestr.com.au/music/5-musical-instruments-that-inspired-rick-price-to-become-a-musician-20220610 |access-date=10 November 2025 |work=scenestr |date=10 June 2022 |language=en-gb}}</ref>

In June 2023, ''Aretha – A Love Letter to the Queen of Soul'' opened at [[Sydney Opera House]] before heading to [[Brisbane]] and [[Melbourne]]. Australian playwright, actor and screenwriter [[Jada Alberts]] directed and narrated the musical, which featured [[Emma Donovan]], [[Montaigne (singer)|Montaigne]], [[Thandi Phoenix]], [[Thndo]], and [[Ursula Yovich]], along with a nine-piece band.<ref name=aretha>{{cite web | last=Gbogbo | first=Mawunyo | title=Aretha Franklin's music 'saved' actor Jada Alberts, leading to a 'love letter' musical showcase | website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=11 June 2023 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-11/aretha-franklin-a-love-letter-to-the-queen-of-soul/102464672 | access-date=17 July 2023}}</ref>

===Portrayals in media===
On January 29, 2018, [[Gary Graff]] confirmed that [[Jennifer Hudson]] would play Franklin in a [[biographical film]].<ref>{{cite magazine |first = Gil |last = Kaufman |url = https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/jennifer-hudson-to-play-aretha-franklin-biopic-8096958/ |title = Jennifer Hudson to play Aretha Franklin in Biopic: 'U Have No Idea How Humbled I Am' |magazine = Billboard |date = January 30, 2018 |access-date = August 16, 2018 }}</ref> The film, ''[[Respect (2021 American film)|Respect]],'' was released in August 2021 in various countries.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Rico |first1=Klaritza |date=June 29, 2020 |title=Jennifer Hudson Shines as Aretha Franklin in 'Respect' Trailer (Watch) |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/jennifer-hudson-aretha-franklin-respect-trailer-1234691389/ |access-date=July 1, 2020 |website=Variety |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=June 30, 2020|title=Respect trailer released – Aretha Franklin Biopic in UK cinemas 22 Jan 2021|url=https://www.keepthefaith.co.uk/2020/06/30/respect-trailer-released-aretha-franklin-biopic-in-uk-cinemas-22-jan-2021/|access-date=July 1, 2020|website=Keep The Faith }}</ref> On February 10, 2019, it was announced that the subject of the third season of the American [[National Geographic (U.S. TV Channel)|National Geographic]] anthology television series ''[[Genius (U.S. TV series)|Genius]]'' would be Franklin, in the "first-ever, definitive scripted miniseries on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2019/02/10/national-geographic-taps-suzan-lori-parks-as-executive-producer-and-showrunner-for-genius-aretha-franklin-808122/20190210ngc07/ |title=National Geographic Taps Suzan-Lori Parks as Executive Producer and Showrunner for 'Genius: Aretha Franklin' |work=[[The Futon Critic]] |date=February 10, 2019 |access-date=February 11, 2019}}</ref> The season, starring [[Cynthia Erivo]] as Franklin, was aired in March 2021. However, Franklin's family denounced the series, claiming to be uninvolved with the production process, despite the production team stating that the series had been endorsed by the Franklin estate.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 22, 2021|title='Genius: Aretha': Why Aretha Franklin's Family Won't Watch the Series|url=https://www.thewrap.com/genius-aretha-why-aretha-franklins-family-says-they-wont-watch-the-series/|first=Samson|last=Amore|access-date=June 2, 2021|website=TheWrap|language=en-US}}</ref>

Franklin, as the "Queen of Soul", is name-checked in the 1980 single "[[Hey Nineteen]]" by [[Steely Dan]] from their album ''[[Gaucho (album)|Gaucho]]''.<ref>{{cite web| author = Bernstein, Scott | url=https://www.jambase.com/article/remembering-walter-becker-steely-dan-hey-nineteen-banter|title=Remembering Walter Becker Of Steely Dan: 'Hey Nineteen' Banter|date=27 December 2017|website=[[JamBase.com]] |access-date=3 March 2019 | quote = <small>Upon its release, 'Hey Nineteen' shot all the way to #10 on the Billboard charts. 'In this song, an older man is seducing a 19-year-old girl. He's a bit conflicted, as her inexperience frustrates him when she doesn't even remember Aretha Franklin.'</small>}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{Main|Aretha Franklin discography}}
'''Studio albums'''
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*''[[Aretha (1961 album)|Aretha: With the Ray Bryant Combo]]'' (1961)
*''[[The Electrifying Aretha Franklin]]'' (1962)
*''[[The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin]]'' (1962)
*''[[Laughing on the Outside]]'' (1963)
*''[[Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington]]'' (1964)
*''[[Runnin' Out of Fools]]'' (1964)
*''[[Yeah!!!]]'' (1965)
*''[[Soul Sister (Aretha Franklin album)|Soul Sister]]'' (1966)
*''[[Take It Like You Give It]]'' (1967)
*''[[I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You]]'' (1967)
*''[[Aretha Arrives]]'' (1967)
*''[[Lady Soul]]'' (1968)
*''[[Aretha Now]]'' (1968)
*''[[Soul '69]]'' (1969)
*''[[Soft and Beautiful]]'' (1969)
*''[[This Girl's in Love with You]]'' (1970)
*''[[Spirit in the Dark]]'' (1970)
*''[[Young, Gifted and Black]]'' (1972)
*''[[Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)]]'' (1973)
*''[[Let Me in Your Life]]'' (1974)
*''[[With Everything I Feel in Me]]'' (1974)
*''[[You (Aretha Franklin album)|You]]'' (1975)
*''[[Sparkle (soundtrack)|Sparkle]]'' (1976, soundtrack)
*''[[Sweet Passion]]'' (1977)
*''[[Almighty Fire]]'' (1978)
*''[[La Diva (Aretha Franklin album)|La Diva]]'' (1979)
*''[[Aretha (1980 album)|Aretha]]'' (1980)
*''[[Love All the Hurt Away]]'' (1981)
*''[[Jump to It]]'' (1982)
*''[[Get It Right (album)|Get It Right]]'' (1983)
*''[[Who's Zoomin' Who?]]'' (1985)
*''[[Aretha (1986 album)|Aretha]]'' (1986)
*''[[Through the Storm (Aretha Franklin album)|Through the Storm]]'' (1989)
*''[[What You See Is What You Sweat]]'' (1991)
*''[[A Rose Is Still a Rose]]'' (1998)
*''[[So Damn Happy (Aretha Franklin album)|So Damn Happy]]'' (2003)
*''[[This Christmas, Aretha]]'' (2008)
*''[[A Woman Falling Out of Love]]'' (2011)
*''[[Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics]]'' (2014)
}}

==Filmography==
;Concerts, specials, appearances 
*1967–1982: ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]'' – guest
*1968: ''Aretha Franklin and The Sweet Inspirations in Concert''
*1968: ''[[The Hollywood Palace]]'' – guest
*1969: ''[[41st Academy Awards]]'' – performer
*1970: ''This is Tom Jones'' – guest
*1970: ''It's Cliff Richard'' – guest – BBC
*1970: ''It's Lulu'' – Guest – BBC
*1978: ''[[Dick Clark's Live Wednesday]]'' – guest – ABC
*1978: ''Aretha Franklin Live in Canada'' – ITV
*1978: ''Kennedy Center Honors'' – CBS
*1981–1985: ''Solid Gold'' – performer – CBS
*1982: ''It's Not Easy Bein' Me'' – guest – NBC
*1983: ''[[American Music Awards of 1983]]'' – performer/host – ABC
*1983: ''Midem '83'' – performer – TF1
*1985: ''Soundstage'' – performer – PBS
*1986:  ''[[American Music Awards of 1986]]''  – performer – ABC
*1988: ''James Brown and Friends: Set Fire to the Soul'' – performer – HBO
*1990: ''Night of 100 Stars III'' – performer – NBC
*1991–1992: ''The Joan Rivers Show'' – performer – HBO
*1992: ''23rd Annual Grammy Awards'' – performer – CBS
*1992: ''Kennedy Center Honors'' – performer – CBS
*1993: ''Evening at Pops'' – performer – PBS
;Documentaries
*1972: ''[[Black Rodeo]]'' (documentary)
*1990: ''Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones'' (documentary)
*2003: ''[[Tom Dowd & the Language of Music]]'' (documentary)
*2012: ''[[The Zen of Bennett]]'' (documentary)
*2013: ''[[Muscle Shoals (film)|Muscle Shoals]]'' (documentary)
*2018: ''[[Amazing Grace (2018 film)|Amazing Grace]]'' (documentary)
;As an actress
*1972: ''[[Room 222]]'' (as Inez Jackson)
*1980: ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]'' (as Mrs. Murphy)
*1991: ''[[Murphy Brown]]'' (as herself)
*1997: ''[[The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue]]'' (as voice of Homebuilt Computer)
*1998: ''[[Blues Brothers 2000]]'' (as Mrs. Murphy)

==See also==
* [[List of awards and nominations received by Aretha Franklin]]
* [[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]]

==Citations==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==General sources==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite book |url = https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Aretha_Franklin.html?id=9FkIAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y |title = Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul |last = Bego |first = Mark |author-link = Mark Bego |publisher = [[Da Capo Press]]|location=Boston |year = 2001 |isbn =978-0-306-80935-4 }}<!--{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}-->
* {{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/africanamericana0000brac|url-access=registration|title=African American Almanac|last=Bracks|first=Lean'tin|publisher=Visible Ink Press|year=2012|isbn=978-1-57859-323-1|location=Detroit}}
* {{cite book |last = Dobkin |first = Matt |title = I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You: Aretha Franklin, Respect, and the Making Of A Soul Music Masterpiece |year = 2006 |publisher = St. Martin's Griffin |location = New York |isbn = 978-0-312-31828-4 |url = https://archive.org/details/ineverlovedmanwa0000dobk |url-access = registration |page = [https://archive.org/details/ineverlovedmanwa0000dobk/page/6 6] }}
* {{cite book |last = Feiler |first = Bruce |author-link = Bruce Feiler |title = America's Prophet |publisher = HarperCollins |year = 2009 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=q3iAylx3HosC&pg=PA248 |isbn = 978-0-06-193925-9 }}
* {{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=5KX-3vLoH8EC |title = Aretha Franklin |last = McAvoy |first = Jim |publisher = Infobase Publishing |year = 2002 |isbn = 978-1-4381-2161-1 }}
* {{cite book |title = Creative and Performing Artists for Teens |url = https://archive.org/details/creativeperformi04mcma |url-access = registration |last = McMahon |first = Thomas |publisher = Gale Group |year = 2000 |isbn = 978-0-7876-3975-4 }}
* {{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4LADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA15|title=Census {{!}} Queen of Soul's Father Rev. C. L. Franklin, 69, Dies After 5 Years in Coma|magazine=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|page=15|date=August 13, 1984 |ref={{harvid|Jet|1984}}}}
* {{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rNPfKQbqO84C&pg=PA28|title=Aretha Talks About Men, Marriage, Music & Motherhood|magazine=[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]|date=April 1995|ref={{harvid|Ebony|1995}}|last=Randolph|first=Laura B.|volume=50|issue=6|pages=28–34}}
* {{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2205&dat=19790612&id=noIlAAAAIBAJ&pg=914,3602210|title=Rev. C. L. Franklin shot|newspaper=[[Baltimore Afro-American]]|page=24|agency=United Press International|date=June 12, 1979|ref={{harvid|Baltimore Afro-American|1979}}}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xdUNAwAAQBAJ|title=Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin|last=Ritz|first=David|author-link=David Ritz|publisher=Little, Brown and Company|year=2014|isbn=978-0-316-19683-3|location=New York}}
* {{cite book|title=Respect: The Life and Times of Aretha Franklin|first=Jennifer|last=Warner|publisher=BookCaps|year=2014|isbn=978-1-629-17386-3}}
* {{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RAVl_KwcBuAC&pg=PA85|title=Swingin' Aretha|magazine=Ebony|volume=19|issue=5|pages=85–90|date=March 1964 |ref={{harvid|Ebony|1964}}}}
* {{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JN4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10|title=The New Aretha|magazine=Ebony|volume=29|issue=12|pages=178–184|date=October 1974 |ref={{harvid|Ebony|1974}}}}
* {{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W7UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA58|title=Aretha Franklin Returns With Soulful CD, 'So Damn Happy'|magazine=Jet|date=September 29, 2003|ref={{harvid|Jet|2003}}|last=Waldron|first=Clarence|volume=104|issue=14|pages=58–63}}
* {{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RSGhEUq5bp0C&pg=PA312 |title = Icons of Black America: Breaking Barriers and Crossing Boundaries [Three Volumes] |last = Whitaker |first = Matthew C. |author-link = Matthew C. Whitaker |year = 2011 |publisher = ABC-CLIO |isbn = 978-0-313-37643-6 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Q125121|n=Category:Aretha_Franklin|b=no|v=no|voy=no|s=no|wikt=no|species=no|c=category:Aretha Franklin}}
* {{Official website|https://www.arethafranklin.net/}}
* {{AllMusic|artist/aretha-franklin-mn0000927555}}
* [http://repertoire.bmi.com/Catalog.aspx?detail=writerid&keyid=118328&subid=0&page=3&fromrow=51&torow=75 Aretha Franklin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208134335/http://repertoire.bmi.com/Catalog.aspx?detail=writerid&keyid=118328&subid=0&page=3&fromrow=51&torow=75 |date=December 8, 2019 }} songwriter/composer catalog at [[Broadcast Music, Inc.]]
* Aretha Franklin {{C-SPAN|23368}}
*{{Discogs master}}
*{{Find a Grave}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{MusicBrainz artist}}
* [https://www.npr.org/artists/15662553/aretha-franklin Aretha Franklin] at [[NPR Music]]
* {{New York Times topic|people/f/aretha_franklin}}

{{Aretha Franklin|state=expanded}}
{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of awards and nominations received by Aretha Franklin|Awards received by Aretha Franklin]]
|list =
{{American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist}}
{{Grammy Legend Award}}
{{Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award}}
{{Kennedy Center Honorees 1990s}}
{{Michigan Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{MusiCares Person of the Year}}
{{NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist}}
{{National Medal of Arts recipients 1990s}}
{{PulitzerPrize SpecialCitations Arts}}
{{1987 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Aretha}}
[[Category:Aretha Franklin| ]]
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[[Category:21st-century American composers]]<!-- pianist -->
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