Person · 1942–2018
Aretha Franklin
The "Queen of Soul," whose gospel-rooted voice became the sound of dignity, demand, and "Respect."
The voice of [[black-music]] and the freedom era.
Daughter of a Detroit preacher, Aretha Franklin fused gospel fire with rhythm and blues to define soul music. Her 1967 "Respect" became an anthem of both the civil-rights and women's movements; she won 18 Grammys and sang at presidential inaugurations.