Aretha Franklin (63 page)

According to Mary Wilson of The Supremes, “Whenever she opens her mouth to sing, there is no question that Aretha is, and always will be, ‘The Queen.'”
(8)

Aretha Franklin has taken her claim to the title as Queen of Soul very seriously. She has defended her territory staunchly, and she wears her crown very proudly. She also remains something of an enigma and a mystery. While she reveals her emotions freely in her songs, she is not so generous with her deepest, darkest secrets. When Jerry Wexler described Aretha as “the mysterious lady of sorrow,” he truly struck a chord of clarity and honesty.
(9)

In 2010 and 2011 Aretha had a new set of problems to address. However, they were not career problems or relationship problems. They were far more serious concerns, since they were about her own health. When the subject of cancer was brought up, it was a major concern, especially since her sisters—Carolyn and Erma—both died of cancer.

Still, Aretha refused to talk about the reason she was in the hospital. She went so far as to tell
People
magazine in April 2011, “I read the rumors, and they were just ridiculous. I feel fabulous.”
(10)
She might have found the rumors to be “ridiculous,” but she never once used the words “cancer” or “untrue.” The Aretha health mystery continued.

A well-known doctor at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, who treated Patrick Swayze in his losing battle with pancreatic cancer, spoke about Aretha's health condition. According to him, “She has all the classic signs of pancreatic cancer: dramatic weight loss, followed by some swelling.” He also said that Aretha's weight loss—85 pounds from a 300 pound woman in less than three months—”would not happen in this period of time simply by suddenly eating salads.” With regard to Aretha being a thirty- to forty-year tobacco chain smoker, he said, “That can increase her risk of having pancreatic cancer by 75-percent.”
(11)

When the world first found out that it she was having health problems, TV producers, record companies, and publications started scrambling to put together tributes to Aretha. It suddenly became a time to show Franklin just how much her talent and her vocal artistry is appreciated.

Throughout 2011, Aretha Franklin continued to proclaim that she is now healthy and fit, and feeling well. As she maintained her silence about
what kind of operation she did or did not have, her fans around the world hoped and prayed for her recovery and her health. To demonstrate how healthy she felt, she even went so far as to begin to set up her first concert dates since her health issues arose.

As a further affirmation of her good health, Aretha began 2012 with a dramatic announcement: that she intended to marry her longtime boyfriend Willie Wilkerson. She had been dating him on-and-off since the 1980s, and he had been her constant companion once her recent health issues arose. According to Franklin, they became engaged over the 2011 holidays. She claimed that the wedding was to take place in the summer of 2012 in Miami, Florida, and that the wedding reception was to be held aboard a private yacht. A press representative for Aretha explained, “Ms. Franklin is considering Donna Karan, Valentino, and the queen of wedding dresses—Vera Wang—to design her gown.” In true Aretha fashion, it was the diva herself who had the last laugh by proclaiming, “No, I'm not pregnant!”

However, by the end of the month the predictably unpredictable Aretha had already called off the wedding. According to a statement that Franklin sent to the press, “Regretfully, To Our Friends and Supporters: Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast, and there were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly. There will be no wedding at this time. We will not comment on it any further because of the very personal and sensitive nature of it. We appreciate all of the many well wishes from friends.” Did Wilkerson refuse to sign a prenuptial agreement? Did Vera Wang decline designing the dress? Aretha wasn't saying.

While no one knows what the future holds for Aretha, some things are definite and will remain unchanged. One of those things is the incredible legacy that Franklin has built in her many years as a recording artist. She is a pop singing diva. She is a rock & roll legend. She is the peerless singing star of gospel music, soul music, jazz, and even arias. There is no diva quite like her. Aretha Franklin is and always will be: the Queen of Soul.

Quote Sources for the 1989 Chapters of
Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul
:

At the time that this book was originally done, the original publisher was not interested in publishing a list of the sources for the quotes so no master list was made. Several sources were used, including magazines, newspapers, television telecasts, press releases, and my own interviews.

The largest single source of the quotes from Aretha Franklin, came from my in-depth in-person interview with her, at her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on July 24, 1985.

With the exception of three instances, all of the quotes from Jerry Wexler came from my interview with him on May 2, 1988.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes in the 1989 version of this book from the following people, are from my personal interviews with them in 1988 and 1989: Clyde Otis, Clive Davis, Ray Bryant, Ted White, Billy Davis, Barbara Shelley, Ken Reynolds, Dennis Fine, Tisha Fein, Dan Hartman, Greg Porto, Bob Altshuler, Rita Griffin, Bob Margouleff, Cathy Mahoney, Gary Graff, Peter Max, and Mary Wilson.

The Martha Reeves episode was told to me in 1993 for the book Martha and I wrote together called
Dancing In the Street: Confessions of a Motown Diva
. The story from Randy Jones of the Village People was told to me in 2011.

QUOTE SOURCES for
Chapter Ten: A Rose is Still a Rose— The 1990's and Beyond

(1)
  
Rolling Stone
,
What You See Is What You Sweat
album review by Stephen Holden, 1992

(2)
  
Entertainment Weekly
,
What You See Is What You Sweat
album review by Amy Linden, 1992

(3)
  
Dayna
television show, Detroit, Michigan, July 10, 1991

(4)
  
Duets
television special, Fox Television, taped on April 27, 1993, first broadcast on May 9, 1993

(5)
  
The Tucson Daily Star
, “People” column, item from the Knight-Rider newswire, December 28, 1991

(6)
  
Time
, “Soul Sister 2000: Aretha On Her Past, Her Future, And Her Fabulous New Album” by Christopher John Farley, March 2, 1998

(7)
  
Ebony
, “Aretha Talks About Men, Marriage, Music and Motherhood,” April 1995, by Laura B. Randolph

(8)
  
USA Today
, “Fur Out In Full Force For Inauguration,” “Letters [to the editor]” column, January 22, 1993

(9)
  
USA Today
, “Respect ‘Fur' Franklin,” “Letters [to the editor]” column, February 4, 1993

(10)
Vanity Fair
, “Soul Of The Queen,” by James T. Jones IV, March 1994

(11)
Entertainment Weekly
, “100 Best CD's,” DB, Ty Burr, Bob Cannon, David Hajdu, Michelle Romero, and Greg Sandow, November 5, 1993

(12)
Interview
, “Aretha Gets Respect From Babyface,” March 1994

(13)
USA Today
, “Aretha's Aria: A Time Of Triumph For Queen Of Soul,” March 10, 1998

(14)
USA Today
, “Franklin's Encore For The Clintons” by James T. Jones IV, June 21, 1994

(15)
USA Today
, “A Silent Reign For Queen Of Soul,” by Toriano Boynton, June 22, 1994

(16)
USA Today
, “Pete Seeger Still Swinging The Hammer Of Justice,” by Jeannie Williams, December 5, 1994

(17)
Jet
, “Kennedy Center Honors Go To Queen Of Soul,” December 19, 1994

(18)
USA Today
, “Kennedy Honors Full Of Love And R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” by Jeannie Williams, December 5, 1994

(19)
Author's interview with Detroit health worker, November 22, 1998, Tucson, Arizona

(20)
Christmas Here With You
record album by the Four Tops, liner notes, Motown Records 1995

(21)
USA Today
, “‘
Exhale
': Voices Let Loose,” by James T. Jones IV, October 17, 1996

(22)
USA Today
, “Torch Continues Trek Through Great Lakes,” August 9, 1996

(23)
The Detroit News
, “Detroit's Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin Has No Plans To Give Up Crown” by Kevin Ransom, August 30, 1997

(24)
Detroit Free Press
, “Aretha Franklin And The Detroit Symphony Orchestra Prepare To Rock The House” by Brian McCollum, November 25, 1998

(25)
USA Today
, “40th Annual Grammy Awards: Music, Majesty And A Little Mayhem,” February 26, 1998

(26)
Ebony
, “Aretha Roars Back And Gets R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” by Lynn Norment, August 1998

(27)
Rolling Stone
, “Aretha Franklin Stakes Claim To The Nineties,” album review by James Hunter, March 19, 1998

(28)
People
, album reviews, by Steve Dougherty, March 16, 1998

(29)
Blues Brothers 2000
feature film, 1998

(30)
VH1 Divas Live
, TV special 1998

(31)
The New York Times
, “As The Categories Blur, One Diva Clearly Rules” by Albert Innuarato, May 24, 1998

(32)
People
, “Rock On: The Sons And Daughters Of Rock's First Families Find A Rhythm Of Their Own As They Break Into The Music Biz,” July 24, 1997

(33)
The Detroit Free Press
, “Singer's Son Gets Probation For Drugs: His Clean Record Keeps Him Out Of Jail,” by L. L. Brasier, June 12, 1998

(34)
The Detroit Free Press
, “Limo Company Files Suit Against Queen Of Soul,” by Erin Lee Martin, December 5, 1998

(35)
Star
magazine, “When Queen Of Soul Wants Take Out, She Pays Big Time,” December 22, 1998

(36)
The Detroit Free Press
, “Aretha Franklin Gives Classical Debut,” by Gary Graff, November 30, 1998

(37)
The Detroit Free Press
, “Queen Of Soul, DSO Make A Blend Of Sass And Class” by Brian McCollum, November 28, 1998

(38)
The Wall Street Journal
, “Queen Of Soul's Symphony Of Sound” by Greg Sandow, December 9, 1998

(39)
The Chicago Tribune
, “R-E-S-P-E-C-TED Singer Takes Firm For A Ride,” December 31, 1998

(40)
The Chicago Tribune
, “Aretha Franklin Sings At Hospital,” January 1, 1999

(41)
Time
, “The Best & Worst Of The Year,” December 21, 1998

(42)
The Detroit Free Press
, “Aretha Franklin: Income Comes From Many Sources,” February 15, 1999

(43)
Aretha: From These Roots
, Villard Books, New York City, Aretha Franklin with David Ritz, 1999

(44)
Detroit Free Press
, “Aretha Hums and Haws, But Readers Want Details,” a book review by Lisa R. Manns, October 1, 1999

(45)
Entertainment Weekly
, “Do Right Woman,” a book review by Tom Sinclair, October 1, 1999

(46)
Vanity Fair
, “The Music Portfolio,” November 2000

QUOTE SOURCES for
Chapter Eleven: So Damn Happy

(1)
  
Entertainment Weekly
, “Do Right Woman,” by Gary Susan January 31, 2003

(2)
  
www.ClickonDetroit.com
, “Defenders: Aretha Franklin's House Fire Remains Unsolved,” July 11, 2003

(3)
  
The New York Times
, “Aretha, So Damn Happy About Her New Album,” by Bernard Weinraub, September 28, 2003

(4)
  
Rolling Stone
, “Aretha Franklin So Damn Happy,” by Andrew Dansby, September 9, 2003

(5)
  
Rolling Stone,
review of
So Damn Happy
, by Barry Walters, September 9, 2002

(6)
  
The Guardian
, review of
So Damn Happy
, by Betty Clarke, October 3, 2003

(7)
  
All Music Guide
, review of
So Damn Happy
, by John Bush, 2003

(8)
  
BBC
, review of
So Damn Happy
, by Jack Smith, November 7, 2003

(9)
  
The Washington Post
, “Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul Still Rules,” by J. Freedom du Lac, July 7, 2007

(10)
Fox News / Associated Press
, “Aretha Franklin Slams Beyoncé For Calling Tina Turner ‘The Queen' at Grammys,” February 13, 2008

(11)
The New York Daily News / Associated Press,
“Beyoncé's Dad Chimes in on Feud with Aretha Franklin,” February 14, 2008

(12)
Entertainment Weekly
, “Another Stupid Grammy Feud: Aretha vs. Beyoncé,” by Gary Susman, February 13, 2008

(13)
The National Enquirer
, “Clash of the Titans: Tina Turner vs. Aretha Franklin Feud Has Festered for 25 Years,” by Michael Glynn, October 27, 2008

(14)
USA Today
, “The Lights Go Back Up for Turner's Encore,” by Edna Gundersen, September 30, 2008

(15)
USA Today
, “Aretha Speaks Out: Aretha Franklin's response to Tina Turner statement in
USA Today
,” October 8, 2008

(16)
Author's interview with Charles Moniz, Palm Springs, California, April 30, 2011

(17)
Saturday Night Live
, “Weekend News,” by Seth Meyers, December 7, 2009