by Nicoletta L. Bagliano
Aretha Franklin is back: the voice and life of the queen of soul tonight, Wednesday 8 January 2025, come back to life on RaiTre at 9.25pm in the biopic Respectfilmed in 2021 directed by Liesl Tommy, where the singer is played by Jennifer Hudson.
But who was Aretha Franklin? A great voice yes, but above all a great woman. Who fought for the rights of African Americans all her life, animated by an unshakable faith. From Respect (1967) to his performance in the film The Blues Brothers (1980) until the 2000s, she was an absolute prima donna in the musical world.
The beloved preacher father
The icon of gospel, soul and R&B music was born in Memphis in 1942. Daughter of a Baptist preacher, Clarence LaVaughn “CL” Franklin, known for his commitment throughout the country in the fight for civil rights, and Barbara Vernice Siggers, also a gospel singer, Aretha has made singing her reason for living since she was a child. His father was his guide, not only from an educational but also a spiritual point of view: a just, severe man, who passed on a profound religious culture to his children, but who was unable to avoid the wreck of his marriage (his wife left home when Aretha was only 6 years old). After the separation he moved with his children to Detroit, where he became minister of a religious community of 4,500 faithful. With her sisters Carolyn and Erma, Aretha joined the parish choir, where she also played the piano during services. From church pews to stages around the world, the father-daughter bond remained very strong, to the point that the gospel concert in Detroit in 2015 – the year in which the father, who passed away in 1984, would have turned 100 – is considered one of the most emotional of his career.
From the gospel choir to the music of the soul
Church music and gospel songs were the amniotic fluid of his musical growth, giving rise to an artistic revolution. That of Aretha Franklin is in fact a totally new music, which distinguishes itself from the black music of the vocal groups of the 1950s. «Hers is a music that “synthesizes”», comments Marco Mangiarotti, music critic. «She invents an absolutely original language, which will be called soul music, that is, music of the soul. It starts from Rhythm and blues and church music, very important in black culture, and evolves in the lyrics becoming a decidedly metropolitan music.” Aretha had an incredible voice: very powerful, a unique vocal range in a physique that we would define as “normal”. «His vital energy, his energy were contagious», continues Mangiarotti. «He was always laughing, dispensing joy and vitality in each of his concerts». His vocality is what experts define as in between, that is, capable of expressing himself in many ways, starting from the roots of black musical culture, flirting with jazz. «Franklin has codified a musical genre that remains over time and will never be forgotten», says Mangiarotti, «in which various styles intersect which give life to a unique and very refined production, pleasant to listen to but also to dance to, although not being dance music.”
Woman on the front line
An artist with a great voice, but also a woman with a great character: her strong-willed and determined personality led her to fight all her life for the civil rights of African Americans. «She was a feminist, who brought forward important messages through her songs», explains Mangiarotti. «Let’s think about the text of Think in which Aretha puts the male universe – of color but not only – in front of a woman who is not willing to accept being submissive to man, being mistreated, being betrayed.” This is also why Aretha’s voice was and is important. As relevant and powerful today as it was then. The voice of the soul. Who, in September 2015 in Philadelphia, colored the party for the world meeting of families in front of Pope Francis with an unforgettable Amazing Grace.
18 Grammys and 75 million records
In his long career he has sold over 75 million records and received 18 Grammy Awards. «The decisive turning point took place in New York» says Marco Mangiarotti «with the Atlantic Records label, founded by two Armenian brothers, who recorded and brought success to the new great protagonists of black music, such as Ray Charles. We are at the end of the 60s, the era of records, vinyl albums, television but it will be the film The Blues Brothersin 1980, to make her a true icon, out of her time.” Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits? It’s difficult to make a ranking, but in all of us there are certainly these five songs: Respect, Think – played exceptionally in the film The blues brothers – A natural woman, I never loved a man, I say a little prayer.
A life not only as a queen
Aretha’s married and emotional life was stormy: two marriages and four children from three different fathers. Clarence, when he was just 12 years old (it was assumed following a rape, but the singer later denied it), and Edward at 15 years old, probably by the same man. Then Ted White junior was born, better known as Teddy Richards (from his marriage to manager Ted White, marked by abuse and domestic violence), and Kecalf Cunningham (born from a relationship with tour manager Ken Cunningham). Her second husband was the actor Glynn Turman, from whom she divorced in 1980.
From the disputed will to the fear of flying
Upon Aretha’s death, a real legal battle broke out between the four children: the fault of two wills found in her homes, which divided the assets, valued at almost 6 million dollars, differently. At his funeral (he died on August 16, 2018 in Detroit) hundreds of people including Bill and Hillary Clinton in the front row, with Whoopy Goldberg, Quincy Jones and Arianna Grande. During the celebration, a message sent by the Obamas was read. Over 100 pink Cadillacs formed the funeral procession, accompanying the coffin to Wood Lawn Cemetery in Detroit, where she is buried.
One last curiosity: the singer had a great fear of flying. As a result, most of her concerts were held only in North America and she rarely performed outside the United States.
