Most of us have experienced—at some point in our lives, the truism “life comes at you funny.” Nine days ago, one of the lights of my life was dimmed when my thirty-six-year-old Goddaughter passed away and will be laid to rest on Saturday. I awoke yesterday morning to the news that the world would be a little darker for a little while longer, Aretha Franklin died of pancreatic cancer. After shedding a few tears, I smiled a secret smile because I knew my little angel would now have the sounds of a Queen to soothe her Soul. Music producer Jerry Wexler once described Aretha Franklin as, “the lady of mysterious sorrow.” Maybe it was because of the early death of her mother or the shooting that led to her father’s death, but if that much sadness gave the world that much pleasure, ‘It Hurt Likes Hell,’ is selfishly appropriate, from a fans point of view. Back in the late sixties, when my awareness finally kicked in, seeing a black face on TV was an event. I know the thought of not seeing a black entertainer on TV now seems not only creatively ridiculous but it was later proven to be financial insanity as well. I remember the excitement of knowing that either the Queen of Soul or Soul Brother #1 would be on TV. American television had guessed correctly in using these two performers to prove their definition of diversity. The conjecture was correct because they were so immeasurably talented but their assessments that two was all, fell short in identifying the plethora of black talent available. We have all heard our family and friends bandy about the term ‘appointment television’ but in black communities in the 1960s, plans were literally changed to see and hear an African-American voice gracing the airwaves. James Brown who made regular appearances on Ed Sullivan and Aretha Franklin who made multiple appearances on the old Merv Griffin Show were the chosen ones.
In order to gain Respect, Ms. Franklin suffered a Chain of Fools, crossed a Bridge Over Troubled Water, was an Angel—Until You Come Back To Me, and had me Day Dreaming and thinking of her most of my life. I started off saying ‘life comes at you funny’ and the death of Ms. Franklin and my Goddaughter and niece Ms. Anderson, is the juxtaposition of the old and the new. Although 40 years her junior, Sondra Michelle Anderson will be as missed by me and her family as much as the Franklin family will miss their Aretha. So as I prepare to leave town for a few days to say goodbye to “Boopee,” I bid a farewell to a woman who brought me countless hours of joy, pangs of lovesick despair and the rousing ability to “Jump, jump, jump to it.” Goodbye Sondra Michelle and goodbye Aretha Louise. Boopee, I loved you more but you have to admit Aretha Franklin was a Natural Woman too.
I Say a Little Prayer…