Aretha Franklin is a national treasure. No seriously, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush (“the lesser”) in 2005. Her performance at Barack Obama’s first inaugural will be remembered by all who saw it. And of course, there was that hat. Tonight we celebrate the life of the Queen of Soul, a girl who grew up singing gospel in Memphis and wound up entertaining and uplifiting millions over the years.
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I’m not going to spend time recounting the story of Aretha Franklin, check one of the longest Wikipedia pages I have ever seen for that. I will however share some songs for you. Aretha spoke to us through her music. I would like to let her do that here tonight.
Aretha Franklin had a beautiful and captivating voice to be sure. But, I think, she also spoke to what was aspirational in all of us. Again, raised in the church choir, Aretha was grounded in Gospel and that uplifting tradition continued to shape her entire career. No matter what song she produced, Aretha was speaking to us through God, in whatever definition you may have of that concept.
And we celebrate tonight the legacy of the Queen ...
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Cheers
Highlighted by Memphiria650:
Is this fine Aretha tribute comment by Chartreuxe.
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