Aretha Franklin – Queen of Soul
Aretha Franklin is an American singer. She achieved the greatest success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. She is often called the Queen of Soul or Lady Soul for her flexible and powerful voice. Franklin was the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of Time magazine (in June, 1968). On January 3, 1987 she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In November 2008, Rolling Stone magazine declared her the greatest singer in history.
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee. The girl grew up in Detroit (Michigan). She was the daughter of famed minister C. L. Franklin and gospel singer Barbara Franklin. Aretha and her sisters sang in the church choir. When she was 14 years old the first recordings of her singing were made. Aretha signed a contract with Columbia Records.
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