RIP Aretha Franklin

[De Sisti]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45169609

[T42]

Didn't much like her style of music but she had a fantastic voice and great public stature.

[LEE]

Effortlessly amazing voice. 

I'm not sure whether she had the best ever female voice or not ......but I'm struggling to think of a better one.

She sang at the funerals of both Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.  That's historic stuff.

[Cunobelin]

Effortlessly amazing voice. 

I'm not sure whether she had the best ever female voice or not ......but I'm struggling to think of a better one.

She sang at the funerals of both Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.  That's historic stuff.

There is no doubt that as well as a musical icon she is a definitive part of “Black history” in the US

On the phone at present, so will edit this later to correct the Youtube link

There is some discussion over this, but the backing group is ‘interesting’

https://youtu.be/Ng3JFevjEa4

[Von Broad]

I loved the arrangements of those earlier recordings with all the backing vocals and orchestral parts. Such a unique sound.
Slightly different, and a song I really rather liked, rather poignantly, was a duet with another recently departed singer, George Michael - 'I knew You were Waiting for Me' - great track that, they work so well together.

[rogerzilla]

Effortlessly amazing voice. 

I'm not sure whether she had the best ever female voice or not ......but I'm struggling to think of a better one.

She sang at the funerals of both Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.  That's historic stuff.

Karen Carpenter?  I'll remember Aretha for The Blues Brothers.  RIP.

[Exit Stage Left]

I like the stuff she did at Muscle Shoals.

[Peter]

RESpecT In PEACE, Aretha - and thank you.

[Cunobelin]

Personally I think that arguing whether her voice was "the best" (or not) is an irrelevance.

Her style is different to other female singers, some are softer, more melodic, others have a harsh "rock sound", and others are operatic.

As Carole King said herself when she recorded "Natural woman"..... it was never going to be a comparison to the power and feeling of Aretha's version, but it is in itself a brilliant track

Perhaps it is better to say that her voice was iconic, powerful, recognisable and that she was able to move audiences with it

[Mr Larrington]

This ^^^^.  If you're not a fan of her style of music...

[De Sisti]

Effortlessly amazing voice. 

I'm not sure whether she had the best ever female voice or not ......but I'm struggling to think of a better one.

She sang at the funerals of both Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.  That's historic stuff.

Karen Carpenter?  I'll remember Aretha for The Blues Brothers.  RIP.

Ella Fitzgerald, Karen Carpenter also had voices of angels.

[Legs]

Hey Nineteen
That's 'Retha Franklin
She don't remember
The Queen of Soul
It's hard times befallen
The Soul Survivors
She thinks I'm crazy
But I'm just growing old.

[hubner]

Overrated, spent years with a record company trying "develop" her career, tried jazz, show tunes, standards etc, then got lucky with some good songs and had to go down South to some hicksville to record them. Even then she had to leave early and finish the recordings in New York.

[Torslanda]

Overrated, spent years with a record company trying "develop" her career, tried jazz, show tunes, standards etc, then got lucky with some good songs and had to go down South to some hicksville to record them. Even then she had to leave early and finish the recordings in New York.

When's your next gig, so we can compare...?

[Tim Hall]

Overrated, spent years with a record company trying "develop" her career, tried jazz, show tunes, standards etc, then got lucky with some good songs and had to go down South to some hicksville to record them. Even then she had to leave early and finish the recordings in New York.

When's your next gig, so we can compare...?

Except hubner didn't compare themselves to Aretha Franklin, just that she was overrated.

[De Sisti]

Overrated, spent years with a record company trying "develop" her career, tried jazz, show tunes, standards etc, then got lucky with some good songs and had to go down South to some hicksville to record them. Even then she had to leave early and finish the recordings in New York.

People in the music business, who matter and know talent, think differently to you.

[Zipperhead]

Some of the finest recorded music of the 60's and 70's came out of that particular hicksville.

[Robh]

Overrated, spent years with a record company trying "develop" her career, tried jazz, show tunes, standards etc, then got lucky with some good songs and had to go down South to some hicksville to record them. Even then she had to leave early and finish the recordings in New York.

There is so much wrong with this short post that I won't bother with corrections. Go read 'Nowhere To Run' by Gerri Hirshey, or Peter Guralnick's 'Sweet Soul Music' if you're really interested. I'm glad I don't have your ears.

[Wowbagger]

Overrated, spent years with a record company trying "develop" her career, tried jazz, show tunes, standards etc, then got lucky with some good songs and had to go down South to some hicksville to record them. Even then she had to leave early and finish the recordings in New York.

People in the music business, who matter and know talent, think differently to you.

People in the music business who know where the money lies... 

This is not a comment on the qualities of Aretha Franklin, but on treating music as a business.

[Cunobelin]

This is off topic with regards to Aretha Franklin, but it does cover the aspect of being "the greatest"

There is a YouTube channel "Kids React" where US kids are presented with something and react.

There are these who would suggest that Iron Maiden would be one of the "Great" rock bands.....

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiYpDdsK4BU&amp;frags=pl%2Cwn" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiYpDdsK4BU&amp;frags=pl%2Cwn</a>