But it has been argued that the inspiration for Franklin's passionate vocals was likely drawn from a painful place. Encouraged by her father, Aretha made her first recording, the album Songs of ...

Countless Aretha Franklin songs topped the charts throughout her 60-plus year career, and she earned not only the Grammy ...

Aretha Franklin grew up in 1950s Detroit, surrounded from childhood by the now-famous faces of the civil rights movement. Her songs would become their anthems. Her Baptist minister father was the ...

But I’m delighted.’ The first songs I sang in church were “Jesus Be a Fence Around Me” and “I Am Sealed.” I was around 8 or 9. My dad asked me to sing that day. I didn’t want to sing ...