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[130] Her youngest son, Kecalf Cunningham, was born in April 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham.[131]. He came along at just the right time. Franklin's final top 40 single was 1998's "A Rose Is Still a Rose". [234] Franklin's biopic Respect was released in August 2021 in various countries. [13], The Franklins had a troubled marriage due to Mr. Franklin's infidelities, and they separated in 1948. In 2004, Franklin announced that she was leaving Arista after more than 20 years with the label. [74] On November 7, 1979, she guested The Mike Douglas Show with her yellow costume from her La Diva album, and sang "Ladies Only", "What If I Should Ever Need You" and "Yesterday" by the Beatles. Think (1968), which Franklin wrote herself, also had more than one meaning. [76] "Davis was beguiling and had the golden touch", according to Rolling Stone. [94] On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year, and performed "Never Gonna Break My Faith", which had won her the Grammy for best Gospel performance[95] the year before. In 1971, Franklin became the first R&B performer to headline Fillmore West, later that year releasing the live album Aretha Live at Fillmore West. was bitterly opposed to the whole deal, wrote music journalist Mikal Gilmore in a sprawling 2018 obituary for Rolling Stone. "[40], Also in 1980, Franklin gave a command performance at London's Royal Albert Hall in front of Queen Elizabeth. Family and friends including Martha Reeves and Bettye Lavette celebrate the life of a. On an ABC promo aired on July 27, 2010, announcing Franklin and, Rev. Aretha was married to her second husband, actor Glynn Turman, from 1978 to 1984. She was made Whitney's honorary aunt (not a godmother as has been occasionally reported) and Whitney often referred to her as "Auntie Ree". While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [41] During this period, Franklin would be coached by choreographer Cholly Atkins to prepare for her pop performances. In the pic, Braeden is standing next to the Queen of Soul, the late Aretha Franklin, who passed away on August 16, 2018, as the two . Another woman performed at several Florida venues under the name Aretha Franklin. He helped Aretha get it together. Some of these releases were from the acclaimed albums Spirit in the Dark and Young, Gifted and Black. After just a few weeks of dating, the pair. C. L. Franklin, 69, Dies After 5 Years in Coma", "Aretha Talks About Men, Marriage, Music & Motherhood", "Aretha Franklin Returns With Soulful CD, 'So Damn Happy', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aretha_Franklin&oldid=1138350111, This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 05:30. According to Daily Mail, Aretha Franklin's early career was reportedly bankrolled by Ted White, the man she walked down . They married six months after meeting While Franklin was still a teen when she met White, she was also a mother of two, having given birth to her first son Clarence when she was 12 and Edward. From powerful, defiant .css-9cezh6{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#E61957;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-9cezh6:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}love songs like Think to celebratory records (You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin was singularly gifted at capturing the gamut of relationships in her work. [23][24] Ward was romantically involved with Aretha's father from around 1949 to Ward's death in 1973, though Aretha "preferred to view them strictly as friends". The legendary singer is back in the spotlight thanks to Suzan-Lori Parkss Genius: Aretha, a new National Geographic series starring Cynthia Erivo as the singer. This caused the song to enter the Billboard gospel charts at number one, giving Franklin the distinction of having had a number one record in every decade since the 1960s. They married in 1978 and divorced in 1984, citing their long-distance relationship as the driving factor. And Aretha Franklin knew that better than anyone. For the next half-dozen years, she became a hit maker of unprecedented proportions; she was Lady Soul.. She was delivered at her family's home located at 406 Lucy Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. On November 18, 2008, she performed "Respect" and "Chain of Fools" at Dancing with the Stars. Franklin, was a nationally known Baptist preacher and civil rights activist who, in spite of his religious commitments, impregnated a teenager at his church,. Not only did she rarely talk about their seven-year marriage, which began when she was 19, but a 1968 magazine story that alluded to trouble in their relationship led to her closing herself to major media interviews all together. The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was a complex figure, . There, she met Ted White, whom she married in 1961. Franklin's cover of "Rolling in the Deep" was featured among nine other songs in her first RCA release, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics, released in October 2014. However, Franklin's family denounced the series, claiming to be uninvolved with the production process, despite the production team stating that the series had been endorsed by the Franklin estate. Aretha Franklin, in full Aretha Louise Franklin, (born March 25, 1942, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.died August 16, 2018, Detroit, Michigan), American singer who defined the golden age of soul music of the 1960s. According to music producer Quincy Jones, while Franklin was still young, Dinah Washington let him know that "Aretha was the 'next one'". Before signing with Columbia, Sam Cooke tried to persuade Franklin's father to sign her with his label, RCA, but his request was denied since she had decided to go with Columbia. With the fresh anthology about Franklin currently streaming on Hulu, heres a primer on the men she once shared her life with. [82] In 1987, she issued her third gospel album, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which was recorded at her late father's New Bethel church, followed by Through the Storm in 1989. "Precious Lord (Part One)" backed with "Precious Lord (Part Two)" followed in 1959. [34] During that period, Franklin provided vocals to the theme songs of the TV shows A Different World and Together. Franklin's movie about her life, titled. Both stations were originally named after other people. You make mistakes. In 1989, Franklin filmed a music video for a remake of "Think". We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Franklin separated from White in 1968 and after she was married to actor Glynn Turman in 1978. In Respect, Etta James likens the relationship between Aretha and White to that of Ike and Tina Turner, which was abusive, and in an interview as part of the book, legendary record producer Clyde Otis talked about being at tense sessions with the two of them. Editor's note: The following article is an op-ed and the views expressed are the author's own. Franklin was featured on vocals and piano. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 and signed with Arista Records. Updates? Her father, Clarence L. Franklin, was a Baptist minister, and her mother, Barbara, a musician. [92] In February 2006 she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" with Aaron Neville and Dr. John for Super Bowl XL, held in her hometown of Detroit.[93]. Ritz David. "[104] Describing Franklin's voice on her first album, Songs of Faith, released in 1956 when she was just 14, Jerry Wexler explained that it "was not that of a child but rather of an ecstatic hierophant". This self-taught musician was married to Ted White first, at the age of 18 in 1961. Get Rebel Wilson Married The prodigal Disney CEO is whipping the company into shape by facilitating celebrity Rebel Wilson 's . [238], "Aretha" and "Queen of Soul" redirect here. Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin. Children. Though obviously musicians dont pull solely from their own experiences, its hard not to consider that Franklin's husbands and romantic partners figured into her creative process, as the Queen of Soul rebounded from heartbreak many times. Records. [213], Franklin received honorary degrees from Harvard University and New York University in 2014,[214] as well as honorary doctorates in music from Princeton University, 2012;[215] Yale University, 2010;[216] Brown University, 2009;[217] University of Pennsylvania, 2007;[218] Berklee College of Music, 2006;[219] New England Conservatory of Music, 1997;[220] and University of Michigan, 1987. [116], In 2015, President Barack Obama wrote the following regarding Franklin:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R. & B., rock and rollthe way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. Other gospel greats of the dayAlbertina Walker and Jackie Verdellhelped shape young Franklins style. [210] The Aretha Franklin Post Office Building was named in 2021, and is located at 12711 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. (1985). [89][90], Her final Arista album, So Damn Happy, was released in 2003 and featured the Grammy-winning song "Wonderful". [117], From her time growing up in the home of a prominent African-American preacher to the end of her life, Franklin was immersed and involved in the struggle for civil rights and women's rights. Ted and Aretha welcomed their son Ted White Jr. in February 1964. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. In 2019 she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation "[f]or her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades". [164] Franklin later returned to live performing, including a 2013 Christmas concert at Detroit's MotorCity Casino Hotel. At Atlantic, Franklin returned to her gospel-blues roots, and the results were sensational. They called each other sweetie. [46] By the end of 1961, Franklin was named as a "new-star female vocalist" in DownBeat magazine. She was the 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year, performing at the Grammys days later. In 1985, inspired by a desire to have a "younger sound" in her music, Who's Zoomin' Who? . [43][58] Upon hearing her version, Otis Redding said admiringly: "That little girl done took my song away from me. In 1960 she moved to New York City to pursue a career in secular music. Franklin knew Ted was something of a shady character and thought the association would hurt Aretha. Producer Harvey Fuqua had harsher words: Anyone who didnt see Ted White as a straight-up pimp had to be deaf, dumb and blind, he told Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin biographer David Ritz. [73], Franklin's career began to experience problems while recording the album Hey Now Hey, which featured production from Quincy Jones. Franklin first met Cissy's young daughter, Whitney Houston, in the early 1970s. All Rights Reserved. Aretha's second husband is actor Glynn Turman. The last time she sang the aria live was for Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015. At age 18, with her fathers blessing, Franklin switched from sacred to secular music. Between 1955 and 1970, Franklin had sons Clarence, Edward, Teddy, and Kecalf, all of whom ultimately followed their mother into . [185][186] At Franklin's request she was eulogized by Rev. This was reissued by Battle Records in 1962, under the same title. [citation needed], Working with Wexler and Atlantic, Franklin had become "the most successful singer in the nation" by 1968. [88], That same year, Franklin received global praise after her 1998 Grammy Awards performance. She released a gospel album, The Gospel Sound of Aretha Franklin, in 1956, at age 14. He shares a daughter Stephanie Turman with her first wife, Ula M. Walker. With global sales of over 75 million records, Franklin is one of the world's best-selling music artists.[3]. [151] She again lost weight in the early 1990s, before gaining some back. Aretha moved back to Detroit in late 1982 to assist with the care of her father, who died at Detroit's New Light Nursing Home on July 27, 1984. They had one child, son Teddy Richards. Aretha was only 14 when Songs of Faith was recorded. At 19, Franklin married Ted White, and had a son with him, named Ted "Teddy" White, . While Franklin was pursuing her singing career and "hanging out with [friends]", her grandmother Rachel and sister Erma took turns raising her children. adopted (Vaughn didn't learn C.L. She was praised for her arrangements and interpretations of other artists' hit songs. [223], After Franklin's death, fans added unofficial tributes to two New York City Subway stations: the Franklin Street station in Manhattan, served by the 1 train, and the Franklin Avenue station in Brooklyn, served by the C and S trains. She provided money for civil rights groups, at times covering payroll, and performed at benefits and protests. [69], In January 1972, she returned to Gospel music in a two-night, live-church recording, with the album Amazing Grace, in which she reinterpreted standards such as Mahalia Jackson's "How I Got Over". She launched a multi-city tour in mid-2014, starting with a performance on June 14 in New York at Radio City Music Hall. By 19, Aretha married her manager, Ted White Snr, who allegedly introduced the singer to weed and alcohol. Chicago Concert Reviews", "Elton John Celebrates 25 Years of His Foundation With Help From Bill Clinton, Aretha Franklin & Neil Patrick Harris", "The voice was incredible, but Aretha Franklin at the piano was also pure magic", "The Special Bond Between Aretha Franklin and Barack Obama", "Aretha Franklin Had a Huge Impact on the Civil Rights Movement", "Aretha Franklin, Civil Rights Stalwart: 'In Her Voice, We Could Feel Our History', "Aretha Franklin's History with Civil Rights, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Barack Obama", "Suzan Shown Harjo: Remembering a moment in time with the late Aretha Franklin", "Aretha Franklin's handwritten wills, if real, shed light on a titanic and complicated life", "Orgies, Attitudes And Anxieties: Biographer Paints Different Portrait Of Aretha Franklin", "Sam Cooke's Brother, Charles, Is Shot In Detroit", "Aretha Franklin's 'Forever Friend' Willie Wilkerson Dies of COVID-19 at 72", "Aretha Franklin to get married this summer | Celebrity Buzz", "Aretha Franklin Talks Turning 70 Years Old, Shares Update on Her Health", "Aretha Franklin Talks Faith, Miraculous Healing", "Why Aretha Franklin's legacy is inspiring others to write gospel music for the masses", "Aretha Franklin Plays the Longest National Anthem In U.S. History", "Aretha Franklin Sets The Record Straight On Her Health: 'I Don't Know Where Pancreatic Cancer Came From', "Aretha Franklin Has Died of Pancreatic Cancer: A Look at Her Health Over the Last Decade", "Aretha Franklin cancels 2 shows for undisclosed ailment", "Aretha Franklin taking June off, postponing shows", "Aretha Franklin cancels hometown show citing treatment", "Aretha Franklin not attending baseball luncheon", "Aretha Franklin Cancels September Show, Sparking Concerns Over Her Health", "Aretha Franklin happily sheds weight, embraces future", "Aretha Franklin Announces Retirement, Final Album", "Aretha Franklin said to be 'seriously ill', "Aretha Franklin 'gravely ill' in Detroit", "Stevie Wonder Visits Aretha Franklin As 'Queen of Soul' Rests in Hospice Care", "Aretha Franklin's newly discovered will complicates estate dispute", "This is what will happen to Aretha Franklin's estate", "Dressed like a 'resplendent' queen, Aretha Franklin rests in gold casket", "A note from the NET Research Foundation on the passing of Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul", "Aretha Franklin Died of Advanced Neuroendocrine Pancreatic Cancer. became her first Arista album to be certified platinum. In 2008, Franklin issued the holiday album This Christmas, Aretha on DMI Records. [32], During this time, Franklin would occasionally travel with the Soul Stirrers. Despite their short marriage, the former couple remained close friends throughout the years. Tragedy struck when Aretha's father was shot in 1979 and in a coma until his passing in 1984. [18][28] When Franklin was 12, her father began managing her; he would take her on the road with him, during his "gospel caravan" tours for her to perform in various churches. [135] She married actor Glynn Turman, on April 11, 1978, at her father's church. A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul", "Tyler Perry to Host Aretha Franklin Tribute Special for CBS, Recording Academy", "Aretha Franklin Tribute Concert Lines Up Janelle Monae, Alicia Keys, John Legend", "Aretha Franklin honored with star-studded tribute concert", "TV Review: 'Aretha! The Respect singer was not married at the time of her passing, but she was in a serious relationship with her longtime partner,. She was called the "Queen of Soul". A reluctant interviewee, Franklin kept her private life private, claiming that the popular perception associating her with the unhappiness of singers Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday was misinformed. Although she was born in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha Franklin spent most of her early years in Detroit, Michigan, with her mother, a gospel singer, and her father, a Baptist minister. Aretha went from strength to strength despite her circumstances, and it's that resilience that says: Life might break me today and tomorrow, but in the long run, I will not be forever broken, she said. Aretha is the kind of girl, youve got to love her hard, pianist Teddy Harris said. When Rolling Stone listed the "Women in Rock: 50 Essential Albums" in 2002 and again 2012, it listed Franklin's 1967, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, number one. Aretha told me she could use it on one condition: only if I drove. That was a huge blessing. When soul icon Aretha Franklin died in 2018, she left behind not only a mammoth catalog of hits, but four children. The documentary Amazing Grace, which chronicles her recording of the 1972 album, premiered in 2018. After splitting with White, Franklin met Ken Cunningham in 1969. During that time, Franklin immersed herself in getting her career back on the ascent, and Respect frames Turman as having a difficult time feeling like the less notable member of a celebrity couple. By marrying Turman, Franklin became stepmother of Turman's three children. It ended years later, and many sources affirm that it was due to domestic abuse. "[104] Franklin later recalled the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors as one of the best nights of her life. Aretha Franklin's first husband, Ted White, was allegedly abusive. The Queen: Aretha Franklin She was a traumatized child, a teenage mother, a gospel prodigy and a civil-rights champion. He said he had an opportunity to spend time with his ex Aretha before her death. [36] At the age of 16, Franklin went on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she would ultimately sing at his funeral in 1968. 7 She Always Carried Her Purse. [124] On August 31, 1957, at the age of 15, Franklin had a second child fathered by Jordan, named Edward Derone Franklin[citation needed] after his father. [121], Franklin was also a strong supporter of Native American rights. He had a tiger on his hands when that girl got drunk.. Aretha Franklin married for the first time when she was only 19 years old with Ted White. Franklin felt the label was not yet established enough, and he turned Gordy down. "Our last year in the studio together was the craziest. White, for his part, didnt exactly have a clean record, most notably with police looking for him after he allegedly shot an associate in the groin at Franklins home. Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. Franklin's sisters, Erma and Carolyn, were professional musicians and spent years performing background vocals on Franklin's recordings. [179] Thousands then paid their respects during the public lying-in-repose at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Aretha Franklin's Granddaughter Performs Iconic Singer's 'Ain't No Way' for 'American Idol' Audition. He didnt have no pussycat. You try to learn from them, and when you dont it hurts even more. Franklin's nephew Vaughan complained of Williams: "He spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her. She said, 'L.C., I need you to do me a favor. And she doesnt want any reference to it., But now and then, she would drop hints that being the Queen of Soul was not easy on her own soul. [233], On January 29, 2018, Gary Graff confirmed that Jennifer Hudson would play Franklin in an upcoming biopic. She moved to New York City, where Columbia Records executive John Hammond, who had signed Count Basie and Billie Holiday, arranged her recording contract and supervised sessions highlighting her in a blues-jazz vein. While her career did not immediately flourish, Franklin found acclaim and commercial success once she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966. Aretha Franklin married her husband, Glynn Turman, before announcing the news during one of her concerts. She denied that the ailment had anything to do with pancreatic cancer, as had been reported. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aretha-Franklin, Aretha Franklin - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Aretha Franklin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1987). Her sister Carolyn died in April 1988 from breast cancer and her eldest sister Erma died from throat cancer in September 2002. [155], In 2010, Franklin canceled a number of concerts to have surgery for an undisclosed tumor. [106] It peaked at number five on the Billboard Top Classical Albums chart before her death and rose to number two after her death. At Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit a year ago, members of her family, dressed in crisp black and white, filled an aisle in the Greater Grace Temple as they walked together toward her. Grant Rindner is a culture and music journalist in New York. I asked my father if we could use his new car to go on Sam's tour.' Her father [the legendary Reverend C.L. [93] In 2011, under her own label, Aretha's Records, she issued the album Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love. Recording equipment was installed inside New Bethel Baptist Church and nine tracks were recorded.[when?] She also was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Inside Aretha Franklins Relationship with Her First Husband Ted White, Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. [citation needed], In 1980, after leaving Atlantic Records,[75] Franklin signed with Clive Davis's Arista Records. Suspicion was drawn when the fake Franklin charged only a fraction of the expected rate to perform. For other uses, see. The Rev. In 1960 Franklin transitioned from sacred to secular music. Aretha Franklin died at 9.50am on Thursday aged 76, surrounded by family after battle with pancreatic cancer Glynn Turman, who was married to Franklin from 1978 to 1984, was joined by Stevie . [104] On June 8, 2017, the City of Detroit honored Franklin's legacy by renaming a portion of Madison Street, between Brush and Witherell Streets, Aretha Franklin Way. In my fifth or sixth month, I dropped out of school. "He was a fixture at the clubs. [137], Franklin was performing at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 10, 1979, when her father, C. L., was shot twice at point-blank range in his Detroit home. [125] Franklin did not like to discuss her early pregnancies with interviewers. As a teen, Aretha Franklin sang in a junior gospel choir. They did have a son, Kecalf, in March 1970. [132][133] She had actually seen White the first time at a party held at her house in 1954. She was 1 of 5 children. They separated in 1982 partially due to the strain of maintaining a long-distance relationship and officially. [211], Rolling Stone called Franklin "the greatest singer of her generation". [84] That recording reached number 26 on the Hot 100 and number five on the R&B chart. [42] Franklin's first Columbia single, "Today I Sing the Blues",[43] was issued in September 1960 and later reached the top 10 of the Hot Rhythm & Blues Sellers chart. Aretha Franklin married Ted White when she was a teenager In the early 1960s, Franklin was an up-and-coming singer while White was a sandlot promoter who dabbled in Detroit real estate. She was introduced to Theodore "Ted" White by fellow singer Della Reese. Ted wasnt really talking to me and I was happy not to talk to him. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. This relationship was the focus of the second half of the film because he did usher her into stardom, but he was out of her life by 1969. They were together for eight years until 1969. I'm going to see her free if there is any justice in our courts, not because I believe in communism, but because she's a Black woman and she wants freedom for Black people. [79] The following year, she released "Get It Right", produced by Luther Vandross.[80]. A lot of trouble. In addition to being an actor, Turman worked as a producer, writer, and director throughout his career. How did Aretha Franklin start her career in music? By the late 1970s disco cramped Franklins style and eroded her popularity. [118] When Angela Davis was jailed in 1970, Franklin told Jet: "Angela Davis must go free Black people will be free. Houston sang background on Franklin's hit "Ain't No Way". [85] In 1990, she sang "I Want to Be Happy", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", and "Someone Else's Eyes" at the MDA Labor Day Telethon. [51], Franklin was the mother of four sons. The end of their marriage was dogged by. [72] The live performances were filmed for a concert film directed by Sydney Pollack, but due to synching problems and Franklin's own attempts to prevent the film's distribution after Hollywood refused to promote a dark-skinned black woman as a movie star at the time, the film's release was only realized by producer Alan Elliott in November 2018. [178], A memorial service was held at New Bethel Baptist Church on August 19. [97] In doing so, she became the first woman to have 100 songs on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with the success of her cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", which debuted at number 47 on the chart. [32] Record label owner Berry Gordy had also asked Franklin and her elder sister Erma to sign with his Tamla label. [86][87], In 1995, she was selected to play Aunt Em in the Apollo Theater revival of The Wiz. No one loves to throw herself a party more than Arethashes been doing that her whole lifebut she told me that this would be the party to end all parties.. [21][22] His fame led to his home being visited by various celebrities. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. [145], Franklin was a Christian and was a registered Democrat. She had four sons, one of which she shares with White. [52] By 1964, Franklin began recording more pop music, reaching the top 10 on the R&B chart with the ballad "Runnin' Out of Fools", in early 1965. [20], Aretha's father's emotionally driven sermons resulted in his being known as the man with the "million-dollar voice". [1] She had often been described as a great singer and musician due to "vocal flexibility, interpretive intelligence, skillful piano-playing, her ear, her experience". Her parents separated when she was six, and Franklin remained with her father in Detroit. Aretha had married actor Glynn Turman ("Peyton Place," "Cooley High") in 1978 but, according to ABC7 News, "the difficulty of maintaining a long-distance relationship" with Franklin in. [166] However, she scheduled some 2018 concert dates before canceling them based on her physician's advice. To many observers, it seemed she had finally found the perfect man, a fellow performer. As a child, Franklin was noticed for her gospel singing at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father C. L. Franklin was a minister. Amazing Grace (1972), a live recording of her performance with a choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, is considered one of the great gospel albums of any era. Her father, C.L. In 1974, she lost 40 pounds (18kg) on a very-low-calorie diet[150] and maintained her new weight until the end of the decade. Though Franklin and Turman did several high-profile interviews with the intention of painting their married life as idyllic, things reportedly started to erode.