HWOF

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” list, as well as the ninth greatest artist of all time. She has won 18 competitive Grammys and two honorary Grammys. She has 20 No.1 singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart and two No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “Respect” (1967) and “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” (1987), a duet with George Michael. Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 No.1 R&B albums—more than any other female artist. In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

• Birth name: Aretha Louise Franklin
• Born: March 25, 1942 (age 69) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
• Origin: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
• Genres: Soul, jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, funk, rock
• Occupations: Singer, songwriter, pianist
• Instruments: Vocals, piano
• Years active: 1956–present
• Labels: Columbia (1960-1966) Atlantic (1967-1979) Arista (1980-2003) Aretha (2004-)
• Associated acts: Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin, Cissy Houston, George Benson, George Michael, Michael McDonald, Eurythmics

Read more about Aretha Franklin at Wikipedia or at the Internet Movie Database

Tributes flood in for Cornelius
BBC Entertainment, 2012-02-02 10:21:42
Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg and Slash are among the dozens of artists paying tribute to the late Soul Train creator Don Cornelius.

Aretha Franklin and other music superstars are remembering the late Don Cornelius, creator of “Soul Train,” who was found dead at this home in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on Wednesday morning at the age of
MSNBC Music, 2012-02-02 00:19:49
Aretha Franklin and other music superstars are remembering the late Don Cornelius, creator of “Soul Train,” who was found dead at this home in Sherman Oaks, Calif., on Wednesday morning at the age of 75.

Aretha Franklin And Patti LaBelle Pay Tribute To Don Cornelius
Perez Hilton Gossip, 2012-02-01 22:20:09
Don Cornelius's passing has affected fans and celebs alike. Music legends Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle echo the condolences of fans of the Soul Train creator. Aretha said the following on his death: It's just so sad, stunning and downright shocking … a huge and momentous loss to the African-American ...