Photographed by Wayne Maser, Vogue, March 1988 via
“It’s important for people. Not just me or the civil rights movement or women—it’s important to people. And I was asked what recording of mine I’d put in a time capsule, and it is ‘Respect.’ Because people want respect—even small children, even babies. As people, we deserve respect from one another...” Aretha Franklin on "Respect"
In a world of imitation, knock-offs and banality, there was, and always will be an oasis. A singular voice that no one can imitate, from a woman who defined Diva, a drop your mink as you go Diva,who could and did, sing any wannabe Diva into the next century. When she sang you stopped, you pulled over, you tuned everything and everyone out because Aretha was singing! R.E.S.P.E.C.T ...and everyone did.
She would be our soundtrack whenever we needed that voice, the voice that became the anthem for power, strength and pride... and oh what a voice! overflowing Heart and pouring Soul! Listen-The Queen! is singing.
If you need to smile, if you need to dance, if you need to find strength, if you need to feel like you can rule the world, if you need to put the top down in your car and sing your lungs out, or if you just need to hear the best there ever was, or ever could be...Aretha!
I will forever regret that I never saw her perform live but I have four favorite performances:
*Murphy Brown and Aretha sing "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" 1991
* "Nessun Dorma" Filling in for Pavoratti at the Grammys in 1998
If you need to smile, if you need to dance, if you need to find strength, if you need to feel like you can rule the world, if you need to put the top down in your car and sing your lungs out, or if you just need to hear the best there ever was, or ever could be...Aretha!
I will forever regret that I never saw her perform live but I have four favorite performances:
*Murphy Brown and Aretha sing "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" 1991
* "Nessun Dorma" Filling in for Pavoratti at the Grammys in 1998
*...and the Forever performance that brought Barack Obama,and me, to tears- "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at The Kennedy Center Honors for Carole King who wrote the signature song for Aretha--and Aretha sang it for us all!
GO Watch Now! Turn the Volume WAY Up and thank the Queen!
GO Watch Now! Turn the Volume WAY Up and thank the Queen!
“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." Barack Obama
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