Blues-E-News On this day in music history April 15th 1968 - R&B, soul, jazz, gospel artist Aretha Franklin recorded Think. Via Wikipedia: Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer and musician. Franklin began her career singing gospel at her father,minister C. L. Franklins church as a child. In 1960, at age 18, Franklin embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records only achieving modest success. Following her signing to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as Respect, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and Think. These hits and more helped her to gain the title The Queen of Soul by the end of the 1960s decade. Franklin eventually recorded a total of 88 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries and twenty number-one R&B singles, becoming the most charted female artist in the charts history. Franklin also recorded acclaimed albums such as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Lady Soul, Young, Gifted & Black and Amazing Grace before experiencing problems with her record company by the mid-1970s. After her father was shot in 1979, Franklin left Atlantic and signed with Arista Records, finding success with a cameo appearance in the film, The Blues Brothers and with the albums, Jump to It and Whos Zoomin Who?. In 1998, Franklin won international acclaim for singing the opera aria, Nessun Dorma, at the Grammys of that year replacing Luciano Pavarotti. Later that same year, she scored her final Top 40 recording with A Rose Is Still a Rose. Franklin has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards and is one of the best-selling female artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. Franklin has been honored throughout her career including a 1987 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in which she became the first female performer to be inducted. She was inducted to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In August 2012, Franklin was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Franklin is listed in at least two all-time lists on Rolling Stone magazine, including the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, in which she placed number 9, and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time in which she placed number 1. Early life Aretha Franklins birthplace at 406 Lucy Ave. in Memphis, Tennessee. Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Barbara (née) Siggers and Clarence LaVaughn Franklin. Her father, who went by the nickname, C. L., was an itinerant preacher originally from Shelby, Mississippi, while her mother was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Alongside Aretha, her parents had three other children while both C. L. and Barbara had children from outside their marriage. The family relocated to Buffalo, New York when Aretha was two. Prior to her fifth birthday, C. L. Franklin permanently relocated the family to Detroit, Michigan where he founded the Baptist church, New Bethel. Franklins parents had a troubled marriage due to stories of C. L. Franklins philandering and in 1948, they separated, with Barbara relocating back to Buffalo with her son, Vaughn, from a previous affair. Contrary to popular notion, Franklins mother did not abandon her children and Aretha would recall seeing her mother in Buffalo during summertime while Barbara also frequently visited her children in Detroit. Franklins mother died on March 7, 1952, prior to Franklins tenth birthday. Several women, including Franklins grandmother Rachel, and Mahalia Jackson took turns helping with the children at the Franklin home. During this time, Franklin learned how to play piano by ear. Franklins fathers emotionally-driven sermons resulted in him being known as the man with the million-dollar voice and earning over thousands of dollars for sermons in various churches across the country. Franklins celebrity led to his home being visited by various celebrities including gospel musicians Clara Ward, James Cleveland and early Caravans members Albertina Walker and Inez Andrews as well as Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke. Music career Beginnings Just after her mothers death, Aretha began singing solos at New Bethel, debuting with the hymn, Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me. Four years later, when Aretha was 14, her father began managing her, bringing her on the road with him during his so-called gospel caravan tours for her to perform in various churches.He helped his daughter get signed to her first recording deal with J.V.B. Records, where her first album, Songs of Faith, was issued in 1956. Two singles were released to gospel radio stations including Never Grow Old and Precious Lord, Take My Hand. Franklin sometimes traveled with the Caravans and The Soul Stirrers during this time and developed a crush on Sam Cooke, who was then singing with the Soul Stirrers prior to his secular career. After turning 18, Aretha confided to her father that she aspired to follow Sam Cooke to record pop music. Serving as her manager, C. L. 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. Franklin was signed as a five-percent artist. 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 Arethas father to have his label, RCA sign Aretha. He had also been persuaded by local record label owner Berry Gordy to sign Aretha and her elder sister Erma to his Tamla label. Arethas father felt the label was not established enough yet. Arethas first Columbia single, Today I Sing the Blues, was issued in September 1960 and later reached the top ten of the Hot Rhythm & Blues Sellers chart. https://youtube/watch?v=hsL9UL9qbv8&feature=kp
Posted on: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 09:18:28 +0000
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