Black History Month Music: Aretha Franklin

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My niece is in love with the car. It’s a big technological step up, so I sent her some YouTube videos to show her how to set all the stuff. I’m back to what I should be: one car at my house! Here’s another great performer to blast in any car in honor of Black History Month…or any time! Aretha Franklin Hey 19, that’s ’Retha Franklin She don’t remember the Queen of Soul (Steely Dan, “Hey 19”) Listen, I was 19 when that song came out and I knew who Aretha was. Inexcusable!!! We go from the Queen of Jazz to the Queen of Soul. The quality is still unbelievable, though. Aretha was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ‘Nuff said. Or, you can count the Grammy awards (18) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Lifetime Achievement Grammy and all the other accolades. Or, you can watch the Kennedy Center Honors tribute to Carole King, when Franklin brought King to tears of joy with that amazing rendition of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Franklin, early in her career, sang about “Respect.” Throughout her life, she more than earned it. Aretha Franklin Born Aretha Louise Franklin, March 25, 1942, Memphis, Tennessee Died August 16, 2018, Detroit, Michigan (pancreatic cancer) (age 76) HALLS OF FAME: Rock and Roll, 1987; Gospel Music, 2012; UK Music, 2005; National Women’s, 2020 Aretha stole the show in The Blues Brothers with that smoking rendition of “Think,” so here it is: