Aretha Franklin – The Queen of Soul (1942–2018)

Her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, was a prominent Baptist preacher and civil rights activist. Aretha grew up immersed in gospel music at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. She lost her mother at age 10 and began singing in the church choir as a child prodigy, recording her first gospel album at 14.

After early recordings with Columbia, her true breakthrough came after signing with Atlantic Records in 1966–1967. Sessions in Muscle Shoals produced her signature soul sound. Signature hits include:

• "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"
• "Respect" (1967) – a powerful reworking that became an anthem for civil rights and women's empowerment
• "Chain of Fools"
• "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
• "Think"
• "I Say a Little Prayer"
• "Spanish Harlem"

Aretha sold over 75 million records, charted more than 100 Billboard entries (including 17 Top 10 hits), and won 18 Grammy Awards. She became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Later highlights include Arista era hits and her unforgettable 1998 Grammys opera performance ("Nessun Dorma").

She performed at presidential inaugurations, supported civil rights (including singing at MLK's funeral), and received the Kennedy Center Honors and National Medal of Arts. Rolling Stone twice named her the greatest singer of all time. Her four-octave range, gospel roots, emotion, and piano skills made her a trailblazer forever.