Aretha Franklin

Biography

Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942) is a Memphis, Tennessee-born but Detroit, Michigan-reared American iconic gospel, soul, and R&B singer. Many have called her "The Queen Of Soul" and "Lady Soul". She is renowned for her soul and R&B recordings (on many, of which, she accompanies herself on keyboards and piano -- a skill she learned at an early age, learning to play by ear, according to lifetime friend Smokey Robinson) but is also adept at jazz, rock, blues, pop, and gospel. Read more about Aretha Franklin on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.

Latest on Aretha Franklin

Elton John: soundtrack of my life

The singer tells Leah Harper about the influence of Elvis (and his mum), the brilliance of Bruce Hornsby and Bridge Over Troubled Water, and the musician who always turns the most heads at his famous parties
Aretha Franklin - picture of the day

A photographic highlight selected by the picture desk. Walter Iooss' image of Aretha Franklin on stage in 1969
Aretha Franklin confesses to laughing at Beyoncé lip-synching controversy

Soul legend 'cracked up' at reports that younger star may have mimed US national anthem at Obama inauguration
The 2 Bears' New Year's Eve party playlist

Raf Rundell of the house duo picks the tracks that will get your living room floor bouncing tonight
From the archive, 2 August 1970: A little respect? That's the least she deserves

Originally published in the Observer on 2 August 1970: The lady who first made the phrase "sock it to me" popular attacks an audience with voice and gesture
Six Songs of Me: David Nicholls

The One Day novelist picks the songs that mean the most to him as part of our Six Songs of Me project
Aretha Franklin wants to be a judge on American Idol

Queen of Soul would 'love to be a mentor' on reality TV show
Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls – review

Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard calls to mind Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin, writes Hermione Hoby
Aretha Franklin stops to think – a classic interview from the vaults

The queen of soul – Aretha Franklin – turns 70 on Sunday and to celebrate we've raided the archives of Rock's Backpages – the world's leading archive of vintage music journalism – to bring you this interview. It was written by Norman Jopling and first published in Record Mirror on 18 May 1968
Whitney Houston comes home to songs and prayers

Alicia Keys takes the place of Aretha Franklin and many other stars attend, including R Kelly, Kevin Costner and Stevie Wonder