HUSL Today Salutes

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock, blues, pop, R&B and Gospel music. In 2008, the American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Franklin #1 on its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time.

Check out her amazing performance of "Natural Woman"

Franklin is one of the most honored artists by the Grammy Awards, with 18 Grammys to date, which include the Living Legend Grammy and the Lifetime Achievement Grammy. She has scored a total of 20 #1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, one of which also became her first #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100: "Respect" (1967). "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987), a duet with George Michael, became her second #1 on the latter chart. Since 1961, Franklin has scored a total of 45 "Top 40" hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.




Franklin was the only featured singer at the 2009 Presidential inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama. Her hat (pictured above) garnered significant attention and started a brief trend.




*snaps in a Z formation*

Awards & recognition:

1. On June 28, 1968 she became the second African-American woman to appear on the cover of Time magazine
2. In 1985, then-Gov. James Blanchard of Michigan declared her voice “a natural resource” during a ceremony that marked her 25 years in show business.
3. Aretha Franklin is one of three musicians, along with Madonna & Marvin Gaye, to achieve each of the top 10 positions on the US Billboard Hot 100.
4. On January 20, 1987, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
5. On March 29, 1987, Franklin sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania III.
6. In 1987, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Musicology degree from the University of Detroit.
7. In 1994 she became the youngest recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor.
8. In September, 1999, she was awarded The National Medal of Arts by President Clinton.
9. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked her #9 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. To give perspective to this honor, only the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and Little Richard finished ahead of her on this list. Ray Charles finished at number ten, right behind Franklin.
10. In 2005, she was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush.
11. In 2005, she became the second woman (Madonna being the first, a founding member) to be inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.
12. In 2005, Franklin was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
13. On February 6, 2006, she performed, along with Aaron Neville, "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XL.
14. On May 13, 2006, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the Berklee College of Music.
15. On April 1, 2007 Aretha sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 23.
16. On May 14, 2007, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
17. In 2007, Aretha Franklin's recording of "Respect" was voted a Legendary Michigan Song.
18. Is an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
19. On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as MusiCares "Person of the Year."
20. On February 14, 2008, Franklin was given the Vanguard award at the NAACP Image awards.
21. On May 4, 2008, Franklin was given the Key to the City of Memphis at the 2008 "Memphis in May International Music Festival" by Mayor Dr. Willie Herenton during her performance onstage.
22. On September 13, 2008, Franklin was ranked #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists list by Billboard.
23. November 2008, Franklin was named by Rolling Stone as the #1 all-time best singer of the rock era. She came in ahead of Ray Charles at No. 2, Elvis Presley at No. 3, Sam Cooke at No. 4, and John Lennon at No. 5, according to the magazine's survey of 179 musicians, producers, Rolling Stone editors, and other music industry insiders.
24. On January 20, 2009, Franklin performed "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama. The distinctive hat she wore during that performance is displayed at the Smithsonian.
25. On December 4, 2009, Aretha Franklin performed in EMPAC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to celebrate RPI's President Shirley Ann Jackson's 10th year of being tenured.








Trivia: Can any of my HUSL Today friends share with me the words to "Respect" that come after she says "R.E.S.P.E.C.T. find out what it means to me. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. take care of (blank)

Share your favorite Aretha moments and songs amongst friends in the comment area. The platform has your name all over it...

HUSL Today Salutes Aretha Franklin!!!!