In 2011, Rolling Stone listed Aretha Franklin as the No. 1 Greatest Singer of All Time, an honor that was long overdue in the eyes of her fans. Since she first hit the scene more than 40 years ago, she has been considered a legend and the living embodiment of soul music. Franklin’s musical and performance style combines a belty, powerhouse, mezzo-soprano sound with a charismatic, almost evangelistic interpretive style reminiscent of James Brown. In fact, she and Brown arguably created this deeply soul-stirring style, which is considered the essential signature sound of R&B. This, combined with an uncanny ability to find songs that suit her voice to perfection, has made her one of those unforgettable, once-in-a-generation singers.
Franklin’s soul and gospel roots came from a childhood spent singing in her father’s church. By the time she was 18, she was singing for Columbia Records, but it wasn’t until seven years later in 1967, that she hit the charts with “Respect,” “Natural Woman” and “Think.” By the 1960s, she was being dubbed “The Queen of Soul” and throughout the next four decades, Franklin stayed at the top of the profession, with scores of No. 1 singles and a veritable cabinet full of Grammy Awards. In 2012, Legacy Recordings celebrated Franklin’s 70th birthday with “Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of Aretha Franklin 1980-1998.” The album featured 15 of her mega-hits, including duets with Annie Lennox, Elton John, Whitney Houston and others. In recent years, Franklin has had to curtail her tour dates due to health problems. Ticket holders fortunate enough to have seen her in concert say that it’s one of the all-time great musical experiences, so it’s a safe bet that once she gets back to the performing arena, she’ll be singing once again to sold out crowds.
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Aretha at the Mann Centre in August was a memory I'll never forget. I feel so lucky to have seen such a legend. Even at 75 she was a real diamond. Love Aretha
Aretha, though frail, delivered the same strong voice that I remember hearing as a child at the Uptown theater. Elegant, refined, down to earth, beautiful and showmanship personified.
Aretha has always been my favorite entertainer...She will always be the QUEEN for me..
Aretha Franklin did not disappoint. She looked and sounded great! She sang her hits and some other songs.She engaged well with the audience. She didn't look or act 75.
Two hours of non-stop fun. The Queen sang, danced, played piano, and preached. At times I felt she was only dancing and singing to me.
My review is unreliable as I am a huge fan and she could literally read the phone book and I'd say it was amazing!
This was my first time at the Mann. It's a great venue and going to see Aretha Franklin made it even better! Loved her!
Despite her recent illness The Queen of Soul did not disappoint. She gave her fans what they came for. Classic Aretha! I love her and wish her THE ALMIGHTY"S healing for her body but her soulful singing is intact.
What should have been the concert experience of a lifetime was totally ruined by the Sound Engineer who cranked up the volume so loud that 3 days later my ears are still ringing. He should have realized that the audience was mostly middle aged & older & it was inexcusable to risk everyone's hearing like that. My husband & I had to leave less than halfway through when our ears hurt too much to listen anymore. Ms. Franklin's powerful voice was at times overwhelmed by the horn section & it was very hard to understand the lyrics due to the distortion at such high volume. All subtlety & nuance was lost. Although not as energetic as in her younger days Ms, Franklin still had plenty of soul. She had a full band with 4 backup singers & 3 dancers. Bitterly disappointed as we wasted a good deal of money & probably won't have another opportunity to see her live again.
I'm thrilled I had the opportunity to see ReeRee's retirement performance in Philadelphia. She is from that group of stars that gives you your money's worth. Her orchestra (Yes! Not band!) burnt the stage down. My only complaint was the about the sound engineer's lack of skills.
