Her voice has been with me my whole life. I bet it’s the same for you. Don’t ask me the first time I heard Aretha Franklin. Chances are, I was in the womb at the time. Aretha Franklin is present in my moments of heartache, of triumph, of resistance and of joy. She’s also with me when I’m doing laundry, when I turn on the radio, when I am in a waiting room. Don’t let the honorific of Queen of Soul close the lanes that Aretha could travel in. Her singing career started in the church, her recording career starting in jazz, and she hit incredible peaks in every genre she touched. There are very few greats as unassailable as Aretha Franklin and I am honored to help celebrate her on her heavenly birthday.
Please take some time to listen and watch some Aretha Franklin today. We are spinning her throughout the day on Jazz88 and I’m embedding some great performances that highlight her background in jazz right here. –Sean McPherson
Aretha Franklin Performs Carole King’s “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” at Kennedy Centers Honors Concert
Aretha Franklin Performs “A Song For You” with Christian McBride, Brian Blade and Christian McBride
Aretha Franklin Performs “Unforgettable” off of Her Tribute To Dinah Washington Album
Aretha Franklin Performs Misty with Kenny Burrell and more
Happy birthday to Aretha Franklin. Listen throughout the day for music from the Queen of Soul.
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