• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
    • Become a print subscriber
    • Sign up for e-Newsletter
    • e-Editions
Thursday, September 28, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
  • News & Features
    • National
    • Local
    • Special Editions
      • MLK Legacy
      • Black History Month
      • The MSR Celebrates Women’s History Month
  • All Sections
    • Opinion
      • Mellaneous by Mel Reeves
      • Word on the Street
      • Reaching Out From Within
    • Health + Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • Minnesota Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Sports
      • Timberwolves/NBA
      • Lynx/WNBA
        • 20 in 20
      • Twins/MLB
      • MN Wild/NHL
      • Vikings/NFL
    • Business
      • Small Business Month Celebration
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
    • Arts + Culture
    • Photo Galleries
      • Photo of the Week
    • MSR Forefront Digital Roundtable Series
      • MSR Forefront Highlights
    • Go Green
    • Education
    • Bulletin
    • Jobs & Notices
      • Legals
      • Announcements
  • Events
    • Submit an event!
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • e-Editions
No Result
View All Result
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
No Result
View All Result

Paying our last respects to Aretha

by Charles Hallman
August 22, 2018
6
SHARES
120
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

Aretha Franklin wasn’t called “The Queen of Soul” for being a one-hit wonder. Franklin died last week of pancreatic cancer at age 76 in her Detroit home.

Despite her worldwide fame, she never forgot her Motor City roots, which were grounded at the church of her late father, Rev. C.L. Franklin. She taught herself to play the piano, sang solos at age 10, toured with a gospel caravan at 14, and signed her first recording deal at age 18.

“I love to sing everything,” Franklin said in a 1999 Fresh Air interview on NPR. “The church provided a training ground for me as a young artist. I loved going to church and being part of the choir.”

Aretha could sing anything, from something as simple as a nursery rhyme to an opera aria on short notice at the Grammy Awards. Her regal voice was unmistakable and unmatched. “I’m comfortable in my own skin and my six-inch heels,” she once told the Detroit Free Press.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Sports also were big in Aretha’s life. She sang the national anthem several times, with each rendition leaving awe-struck all who heard her. At the annual Thanksgiving Day football game in Detroit in 2016, Aretha wore a fur coat and a Lions team wool hat as she played at the piano and belted out the song for almost five minutes.

“I was lucky enough to walk out to her,” Detroit Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire told me last week – Aretha sang the anthem at the old Metrodome when he was a member of the Minnesota Twins coaching staff. “She was so gracious… I was just happy to be out there [on the field],” he recalled. “I didn’t know what to say [except], ‘I love you.’ It was awkward for me because this is one of my favorite people, one of my favorite singers.

“My wife absolutely adores her. It was a cool moment,” Gardenhire remembered.

The Tigers, in town last week to play the Twins, paid tribute to Aretha on the day of her death by using 15 of her songs as subheadings on the game notes for the media. The host Twins played several of her songs before the game.

This native Detroiter unfortunately never heard Aretha sing in concert. However, I was there when she sang “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” wearing a grand hat at the 2009 Barack Obama inauguration. Her 1972 Young, Gifted and Black album is among my vast music collection. The album was named the 76th greatest album of all time by VH1 in 2003.

- ADVERTISEMENT -

And of course, I am among many of my generation who learned how to spell R-E-S-P-E-C-T from her iconic hit. “I heard Mr. [Otis] Redding’s version and just loved it,” Aretha said in the 1999 NPR interview. “I decided that I wanted to record it.”

Among my fondest memories is seeing her in the summer of 1978 arrive in a long, black limousine to marry actor Glynn Tubman at her father’s church just blocks from my home, wearing a beautiful wedding gown. Although the surrounding streets were blocked off for the occasion, while walking to work I was able to stand across the street and catch the arriving party, which included the Temptations as groomsmen.

Aretha will lay in state at the city’s Wright Museum for two days before her scheduled August 31 homegoing services at the same church where Rosa Parks’ service also was held.

“A beautiful lady,” Gardenhire said of her. “She’s the Queen of Soul, but in my opinion, she is just the Queen.”

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Support Black local news

Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.

Donate Now!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Jackson excelling in football, baseball, academics at collegiate level

Next Post

Vikings sustain pre-season damage

Charles Hallman

Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

You Might Also Like

REVIEW: Music soars in entertaining biopic about the Queen of Soul
Arts & Culture

REVIEW: Music soars in entertaining biopic about the Queen of Soul

The Spencer Haywood story continues: Back to basics in Detroit
Sports

The Spencer Haywood story continues: Back to basics in Detroit

water
Opinion

Detroit’s poor struggle to keep the water on amidst coronavirus crisis

Children not spared by pandemic
National

Children not spared by pandemic

Detroit NABJ panel
Another View

‘Malice at the Palace’ shadowed Pistons’ contributions

‘There’s no city like Detroit’
Sports

‘There’s no city like Detroit’

Next Post
Vikings sustain pre-season damage

Vikings sustain pre-season damage

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Sep 12
September 12 @ 6:30 pm-December 18 @ 9:30 pm Recurring

Vic Volare Presents MUSIC FOR MARTINIS ft: Vic’s Fabulous Nightclub Academy

Sep 28
7:30 pm-9:30 pm Recurring

Ayodele Casel Rooted

Sep 30
9:00 am-1:00 pm Recurring

Cars and Caves

Sep 30
10:00 am-12:00 pm

dem Blessings for Parents: A Morning of Creative Nourishment with Sharon Bridgforth

View Calendar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read our latest e-Edition!

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Subscribe

  • Home/Office Delivery
  • Weekly e-newsletter
  • e-Editions

Support

  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • MSR Newsstand Locations

Connect

  • About
    • MSR Staff
  • Contact
  • Send a news tip
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

No Result
View All Result
  • News & Features
    • Local
    • National
  • All Sections
    • Arts & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
      • Women’s Wellness
      • Parenting Today
      • MN Cancer Alliance Breast Cancer Gaps Project
    • Business
      • Black Business Spotlight
      • Finances FYI
      • Small Business Month Celebration
    • Opinion
    • Sports
  • Events
  • Obits
  • Sister Spokesman
  • Donate
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: