MusicUK

Aretha Franklin - Queen of Soul

Aretha Franklin also known as the Queen of Soul has re-defined American popular music for more than four decades now. Her incredible voice, sound and style have inspired numerous R&B and contemporary artists. Aretha has sold more million selling singles than any other female artist in history. She has also won eighteen Grammy’s and two honorary Awards.

Ms. Franklin during her long career have amassed twenty number one singles on the Billboard R&B charts and two #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She also had 10 albums on this chart to reach number one, which was cited to be the most by a female artist. But her achievements doesn't stop there. The queen of soul was also inducted into several musical halls of fame which include her becoming the first woman to be entered into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and in 2005, the second woman behind Madonna to be inducted into the UK Hall of Fame.

The music icon has been honored by several US presidents during her long career. In 1999, she received The National Medal of Arts Award from then president Bill Clinton and In 2005, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from president George W. Bush and was most recently selected in 09 to be a guest singer at the historic inauguration of the nation’s first black president Barack Obama.

Her many hits include Respect, "Chain of Fools," "Think," "You Make Me Feel like ( A Natural Woman)," "Rocksteady" and Dionne Warwick hit "I Say a Little Prayer" among many others.