Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul Timeline

Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul 20

1942 Aretha Franklin born in Memphis, Tennessee Daughter of a preacher Daughter of the Baptist minister C. L. Franklin.
1946 Aretha Franklin's family moves to Detroit New Bethel Baptist Church Her father becomes pastor of New Bethel, where she grows up singing.
1956 Aretha Franklin records her first gospel album Aged 14 Live recordings at New Bethel, later issued as Songs of Faith.
1960 Aretha Franklin signs with Columbia Records Jazz and pop standards Six years of records that never quite find her sound.
1966 Aretha Franklin signs with Atlantic Records Jerry Wexler Producer Jerry Wexler brings her to Atlantic.
1967 Aretha Franklin records at FAME Studios, Muscle Shoals I Never Loved a Man One session in Alabama produces the song that makes her a star.
1967 Aretha Franklin releases I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You Atlantic debut Her breakthrough album, with Respect and Do Right Woman.
1967 Aretha Franklin releases Respect R-E-S-P-E-C-T Her version of Otis Redding's song becomes an anthem of civil rights and feminism.
1968 Aretha Franklin Day in Detroit Award from Martin Luther King King presents her with an award two months before his death.
1968 Aretha Franklin on the cover of Time The Sound of Soul Time's cover story on the new queen of soul.
1972 Aretha Franklin releases Amazing Grace Best-selling gospel album Recorded live in a Los Angeles church, the best-selling gospel album of all time.
1980 Aretha Franklin sings Think in The Blues Brothers Film role Her scene in the diner introduces her to a new generation.
1985 Aretha Franklin releases Who's Zoomin' Who? Freeway of Love An 80s comeback album on Arista.
1987 Aretha Franklin inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame First woman inducted The first woman to enter the Hall of Fame.
1998 Aretha Franklin sings Nessun dorma at the Grammys Stand-in for Pavarotti Replaces an ill Luciano Pavarotti at a few minutes' notice.
2005 Aretha Franklin receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom From George W. Bush Awarded the highest US civilian honour.
2009 Aretha Franklin sings at Barack Obama's inauguration My Country, 'Tis of Thee Sings at the inauguration of the first Black US president.
2015 Aretha Franklin sings for Carole King at the Kennedy Center Honors A Natural Woman A performance that moves Carole King and President Obama to tears.
2018 Aretha Franklin dies in Detroit Aged 76 Dies at home in Detroit.
2019 Aretha Franklin awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Special Citation The first individual woman to receive a Pulitzer special citation.