The Queen of Soul | The Boneyard

The Queen of Soul

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Her immense talent was always obvious, her amazing precision less so - but it was there. She was a master. Diction, timing, pitch control of course -- everything.

The young Queen giving a masterclass:

 
Yeah, we knew her time was nigh, but that doesn't make her passing suck any less. I don't think anyone else in my lifetime has worn the title "queen" or "king" as well as Aretha. She was so far above anyone else at what she did. This is my favorite of hers:

 
I was in the middle of a band rehearsal when I recieved the text. A moment of silence followed when I announced it.

As we grow older, our music icons pass before our eyes. Its a sad day. Such a great talent. I'm not sure we will see a talent such as her's again.

RIP Aretha.
 
A great time-capsule video of her complete 1968 concert at the Concertgetbouw in Amsterdam -- probably one of the last times she ever performed in such an informal setting. Note how the kids are basically right on top of her at the back of the stage when she's at the piano! Crazy!

 
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Pavarotti had been scheduled to sing “Nessun Dorma,” an aria from Puccini’s “Turandot,” and his cancellation left a big hole in the show.

Franklin, who died Thursday, was able to fill that hole.

Ken Ehrlich, who produced that year’s telecast, remembered seeing Franklin perform the aria at a Pavarotti tribute a few nights earlier and he asked her to step in for the ailing singer, according to FarOutMagazine.co.uk.

Franklin was set to perform on the show as part of a remembrance of “The Blues Brothers” (she’s memorably performed “You Better Think” in the 1980 movie). But Ehrlich, upon learning of Pavarotti’s cancellation, went to her and asked for a favor ― a really big favor, since “Nessun Dorma” is a notoriously challenging song with a very high note at its climax, ClassicFM.com noted.

The aria is also written specifically for an operatic tenor, not a mezzo-soprano like Franklin.

Still, Ehrlich was running out of options as the awards ceremony crept closer.

He still remembers the moment:

“I just ran up to her dressing room, and asked her if she would do it,” he told FarOutMagazine. “And she said she wanted to hear the dress rehearsal.

“In those days we had a boombox with a cassette. And I brought it to her and played it for her. When she heard it, she said, ‘Yeah, I can do this’.”

Franklin flawlessly performed the aria in front of a global audience estimated at 1 billion, according to the Independent.

In the process, her performance was recognized by Billboard.com as one of the greatest awards show performances of all time.

That wasn’t the last time she performed “Nessun Dorma.”

In 2015, she performed it for Pope Francis during his tour of the United States, according to NBC News.


 
Aretha had total R-E-S-P-E-C-T from everyone. She will be missed.

RIP!
 
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As a music lover of many genres Aretha no doubt had a big place in my heart when it comes to gospel, soul, blues, Motown.
Thank God for technology that will always let us hear her voice again.
Just my opinion but at the age of 14 she could make an atheist think twice....
 
This is one of those times when you look back at the playlist and just realize that many of the memorable things that happened to those of us of a certain age happened with an Aretha song in the background.
 
MilfordHusky said:
The Queen died on August 16 of this year. The King died on August 16 in 1977. Not a good date for music royalty. :(
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Also, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, MS and moved to Memphis at a young age.

Aretha was born in Memphis and moved to Detroit at a young age.
 
Aretha was my favorite female vocalist and could give me goosebumps when she sang.
 
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Two Kings and a Queen died on August 16th:

Babe Ruth, the King of Swat

Elvis Presley, the King of Rock N Roll (the most flowers ever sold in a single day in U.S. history is August 17, 1977, the day after Elvis died).

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul
 
Alibi Ike said:
Two Kings and a Queen died on August 16th:

Babe Ruth, the King of Swat

Elvis Presley, the King of Rock N Roll (the most flowers ever sold in a single day in U.S. history is August 17, 1977, the day after Elvis died).

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul
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Babe may have been the Sultan of Swat, but he was definitely baseball royalty.
 
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