Ron: Aretha Franklin is a once-in-a-generation talent

Aretha Franklin is very ill according to an anonymous source close to the singer.

There have been quite a few titans of music that have passed recently, Tom Petty, Chris Cornell, and Prince. I would argue that none of those men outshine The Queen of Soul. Obviously, I’m pulling for a full recovery, but taking a second to appreciate the talents of Mrs. Franklin are in order.

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I measure the stature of artists in popular music by asking myself one simple question, “Did the music world pivot around this person?” And without a doubt Aretha is one of the greats. Things were never the same after her.

It’s difficult for us now to look back and think that there was a time when soul music didn’t exist. It had to be invented. You had young, African American musicians that grew up in the gospel tradition branching out into the world. With the backdrop of the Jim Crow south, and then the Civil Rights movement, these artists blended the holy with the secular, and set out on the back roads of America to perform under the constant threat of racism and violence.

There were thousands of singers clamoring for the throne, but there could only be one Queen. And it almost didn’t happen. Aretha was tapped by the mega label Columbia to be a crooner out of the gate. They recorded her in the style of a Frank Sinatra with lush strings and whiskey glasses tinkling at the dinner party. It wasn’t soul. It wasn’t real. It flopped, and Columbia dropped her. Can you imagine that? Choosing to let go of one of the greatest singers ever?

Then in 1967, Atlantic Records signed Aretha and sent her to a little town called Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In the age before social media, she was shocked to learn that the musicians cranking out soul hits were white.

Aretha almost bailed on the session. But she overcame her own preconceived notions about who could and could not play soul music, and then the magic happened.

“I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You” was the first song out in her new, more raw soul style. Then “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.” After that, she completely owned “Respect.” A legend was born.

Just one year later Aretha Franklin dropped “Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” and “Say A Little Prayer.”

And here we are, 112 charted singles later. Aretha Franklin is a once-in-a-generation talent, let’s all say a little prayer for her tonight.