The Frank Talent of Aretha Louise Franklin Essay - 775 Words

Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee (bio 1). She was one of five children born to Rev. Clarence L. Franklin and Barbara (Siggers) Franklin (Moritz 132). Aretha was born into a very musical family. Her mother, Barbara, was a gospel singer and her sisters, Erma and Carolyn, are both vocalists, too (Glickman 1, Moritz 132). Her brothers took a different, unmusical approach to their lives. Her brother, Cecil, is the Assistant Pastor at his father’s church and her other brother, Vaughn, is a career man in the United States (Moritz 132). When Aretha was two years old her father took her, and the rest of his family, North (Moritz 132). Five years after they moved, they settled in Detroit, Michigan†¦show more content†¦Touring with her father gave her important performing experiences, but it was also a very tough time for her (Moritz 132). Her brother told a Time Magazine interviewer: â€Å"Driving eight or ten hours trying to make a gig, and being hungry and passing restaurants all along the road, and having to go off the highway into some little city to find a place to eat because you’re black- that had its effect† (Moritz 132). Everyone knew Aretha was incredibly talented at a very young age. At twelve years old, Aretha cut her first record on her first solo for Chess Records. After that she went on tour with her father. In 1960, Aretha came to New York and took dancing and vocal lessons (Moritz 132). She signed a five-year contract with Columbia Records one year later in 1961 (Moritz 132). While at Columbia Records, she recorded nine long-playing albums, only selling moderately (Moritz 132). Toward the end of 1966 Aretha turned down an offered renewed contract by Columbia, signing with Atlantic Records instead (Moritz 133). Aretha had â€Å"a reputation of being difficult to handle† in the early part of her career according to Phyl Garland of Ebony in 1967 (Moritz 133-134). She caus ed a small riot when she walked out of a concert in Denver because she was only paid half of what she was promised (Moritz 134). Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, made beautiful, soulful music over the years. She recorded her first single, â€Å"I Never Loved a Man,†