Aretha Franklin
Known as “Lady Soul” or “Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin is one of the most iconic voices in music history. In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her 18 Grammy Awards mark a 61-year career with several legendary performances, from the 1960s with The Drifters and The King Sisters, to her 2013 finale at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.
Aretha transformed her songs and made them her own. It’s what she did with Think, which was originally written from a male perspective, but she changed it and turned it into a female anthem.
She had a tough childhood, walked her own path, and dignified the role of black women in their fight against racial intolerance. Her musical influence still resonates through an indelible legacy and memorable recordings during her long and prolific career.