Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Black History: Aretha Franklin


Aretha Franklin
Franklin’s music and civil rights involvement cannot be separated for it was through music, which Franklin was able to reach out to so many and empower those who had felt so long oppressed.  Aretha Franklin first became connected with the civil rights movement through her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin. Rev. Franklin was an influential preacher who traveled the country as well as recorded a weekly sermon for the radio station, WLAC, which reached sixty-five percent of the African-American population. It was these same tours that Aretha would begin her singing career. Rev. Franklin would also introduce Aretha to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. starting a lifelong friendship between the two.  Franklin was not actively heading demonstrations or participating in sit-ins, but she was able to do her part and use her talent to help the movement. She would numerous times perform at rallies with the King, lending her voice and fame to pull in crowds.  Her own sense of pride and her dignified stance, she represented the new black woman of the late 1960s.  Franklin’s own sound and present were enough to reflect the ideas of the movement and were what caused her to become a notable figure in the cause.
It was Franklin's soulful sound, which would become the driving anthem of the civil rights movement or as poet Nikki Giovanni, who is also a Fiskite, put it “the voice of the civil rights movement, the voice of the black America".
In 2008, Franklin was honored as MusiCares "Person of the Year", two days prior to the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, where she was awarded her 18th career Grammy. Franklin was personally asked by then newly-elected President Barack Obama to perform at his inauguration singing "My Country 'tis of Thee". In 2010, Franklin received an honorary music degree from Yale University.
In 1966, 24 year-old Aretha Franklin struggled at Columbia Records. Had she quit searching for a better fit, her career could have been over. That same year, she went to Atlantic and found not only success, but her true voice. Columbia, which couldn't decide to truly believe in her or her music, conveniently began releasing (and continues to release) her music from its vaults after her success at Atlantic.
Lesson: DON'T GIVE UP! YOUR VOICE MAY BE THE VOICE OF THE CENTURY!

4 comments:

Reggie said...

She needs to put some clothes on and stop showing off those massive chesticles of hers.

Freckles said...

chesticles - you are truly a donkey.

Don said...

Aretha Franklin, a living legend. My aunt in Milwaukee used to be crazy about her some Aretha. Interestingly enough, judging by the sofa photo, I had no idea she was as attractive as she were once upon a time.

Freckles said...

I thought all of these black and white photos show her well. I love the one on the sofa. It's kind of dope.

once upon a time huh? lol. wish i could seen your face as you said that.

COPYRIGHT

MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected