Aretha Louise Franklin was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", Rolling Stone twice named her as the greatest singer of all time.
Lady Soul is the twelfth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin released in early 1968 by Atlantic Records. The album stayed at number 1 for 16 weeks on Billboard's R&B album chart, and it hit number 2 on the pop album chart during a year-long run.
"I Know Him So Well" is a duet from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was originally sung by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing their relationships fall apart.
Emily "Cissy" Houston is an American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan, Houston embarked on a solo career, winning two Grammy Awards for her work.
Delia Juanita Warrick, known professionally as Dee Dee Warwick, was an American soul singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she was the sister of singer Dionne Warwick, the niece of Cissy Houston, and a first cousin of singers Whitney Houston and Leontyne Price.
"It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" is a duet recorded between Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston, and appeared on Franklin's 1989 album Through the Storm. The song was released on June 10, 1989, as the second single from the album by Arista Records.
The Sweet Inspirations are an American R&B girl group mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R&B and rock artists. A founding member of the group was Dionne Warwick, who was later replaced by her aunt, Cissy Houston.
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" is a 1967 song by American soul singer Aretha Franklin released as a single by the Atlantic label. The words were written by Gerry Goffin from an idea by Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, and the music was composed by Carole King. Written for Franklin, the record reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became one of her signature songs. It made history on the UK Singles Chart a week after her death, finally becoming a hit almost 51 years after it was first released, entering at No. 79. Franklin also included a live recording on the album Aretha in Paris in 1968.
VH1 debuted the first annual VH1 Divas concert in 1998. VH1 Divas Live was created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation and subsequent concerts in the series have also benefited that foundation. The VH1 Divas concerts were a follow-up to the channel's annual VH1 Honors benefit concert that ran from 1994 to 1997, airing annually from 1998 to 2004. After a five-year hiatus, the series returned in 2009 with a younger-skewed revamp. In 2010 the concert saluted the troops and in 2011 it celebrated soul music, doubling the previous year's ratings. After a dance music-focused 2012 edition aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on December 16, 2012, the show took another hiatus before being revived on December 5, 2016, at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York with a holiday theme and achieved its highest ratings in over a decade.
Aretha Arrives is the eleventh studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on August 4, 1967, by Atlantic Records. Its first single release was "Baby I Love You", a million-selling Gold 45, which hit #1 R&B and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, followed by her cover version of The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in 1968. This was her second album for Atlantic. The sessions for the album were delayed because Franklin shattered her elbow in an accident during a Southern tour. She decided she was ready to record before her doctor thought she was ready. While she still did not have full mobility, she provided piano accompaniment on the slower songs and played with her left hand only on "You Are My Sunshine".
Myrna Yvonne Smith was an American songwriter and singer.
"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" is a 1967 single released by American soul singer Aretha Franklin. Released on Atlantic Records as the first big hit of her career and the lead single from her tenth studio album of the same name, it became a defining song for Franklin, peaking at number one on the rhythm and blues charts and number nine on the pop charts. The B-side was "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man". Before this Franklin had placed only two Top 40 singles on the pop chart during her modest tenure with Columbia Records.
This Girl's in Love with You is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on January 15, 1970 by Atlantic Records. It reached Billboard's Top 20 and was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in 1993. Her version of The Beatles' "Let It Be" was the first recording of the song to be commercially issued. Songwriter Paul McCartney sent Franklin and Atlantic Records a demo of the song as a guide.
"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" is a song by singer Aretha Franklin. Released from her Lady Soul album in 1968, the song was successful, debuting at number 31 and peaking at number 5 on the Hot 100 for five weeks, and spending three weeks at number 1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. The B-side, "Ain't No Way", was also a hit, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart.
"Jump to It" is a 1982 song by American recording artist Aretha Franklin. The track is from her Gold-certified 1982 album of the same name, produced by Luther Vandross. The song was written by Vandross and Marcus Miller and features background vocals performed by Vandross and Cissy Houston. The single reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart, remaining there for four consecutive weeks.
The Pacific Rim Tour was a concert tour of arenas and stadiums by American Pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston. The tour included 10 concert dates in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and United States in 1997. The tour was in support of her 1996 multi-platinum album, The Preacher's Wife.
Classic Moments is a studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was her second full-length release with Island Def Jam's Def Soul Classics imprint and released on June 21, 2005 in the United States. The album features LaBelle's renditions of modern pop, soul and R&B songs, mostly ballads, including her versions of "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", "She's Out of My Life", "Didn't I " and "I'll Stand by You".
The Very Best of Aretha Franklin, Vol. 1 is a compilation album by singer Aretha Franklin, released by Rhino Records in March 1994. The album compiles 13 of her first 14 singles for Atlantic Records all of which were recorded during the 1960s. The original recordings were produced by Jerry Wexler, and this compilation was certified platinum by the RIAA.
The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967–1970 is a compilation album of singer Aretha Franklin, released by Rhino Records in September 2018. The album contains her first 17 singles for Atlantic Records released in the United States from her debut for the label "I Never Loved a Man " of February 1967 through "Border Song " of October 1970. The Amazon sales website identifies these as digitally remastered versions of the original mono issues, although that is not indicated in the set's liner notes or packaging. The original recordings were produced by Jerry Wexler, at times in collaboration with Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin.
Troy Christopher Taylor is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter from New Haven, Connecticut, best known for his discovery and mentorship of R&B singer Trey Songz. He was formerly a member of production collective The Characters, and founded the record label Songbook Entertainment in 2002, through which he signed Songz the following year. Throughout his career, Taylor has produced and worked extensively with the singer, as well as other prominent R&B acts including the Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, and Boyz II Men.
