Aretha Franklin

One of the biggest names in the music industry is Aretha Franklin. The singer-songwriter began by singing gospel songs in a church. Her successful music career didn’t start immediately, however, but her fame skyrocketed when she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966. She gets credit as The Queen of Soul, and her songs are still famous worldwide. Titles such as Think, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You), Chain of Fools, Respect, and I Say a Little Prayer are just some of her famous songs.

Sadly, the music icon passed in 2018 from a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Aretha was born to a singer-songwriter mom and Baptist minister dad. She was not only a talented vocalist, but she also learned to play the piano by ear. Her father didn’t just support her dream, he also helped her until she was finally landed a recording deal.