Posted on 02/09/2017 12:47:07 PM PST by SeekAndFind
The Queen of Soul is hanging up her crown. Aretha Franklin revealed in a new interview that she plans to retire this year after she releases her upcoming, as-yet-untitled album. See what she had to say in the video above!
Speaking to Detroit TV station WDIV Local 4 on Tuesday, February 7, the 74-year-old “Respect” singer opened up about her decision to wrap up her inimitable career, which began in January 1961 when she released her debut record, Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo.
“I must tell you, I am retiring this year,” Franklin – who was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 — told WDIV.
At least for the moment, though, the music icon is excited to treat fans to new music, produced by pal Stevie Wonder, when she drops her next album this September.
“I’m exuberant about it,” the Detroit resident said of her 42nd studio album, which she will record at her home in the Motor City. “I can’t wait to get in the studio and, of course, several of the songs are going to be produced by Stevie and of course there’s only one Stevie, right?”
According to the 18-time Grammy winner, she feels ready to retire because she couldn't be more content with all that she's accomplished as one of the world's most celebrated entertainers.
"I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from and where it is now," she told WDIV. "I'll be pretty much satisfied, but I'm not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing. That wouldn't be good either."
The powerhouse vocalist's most recent album, Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of Aretha Franklin 1980-1998, was released in 2012. She will kick off a six-city tour in Poughkeepsie, New York, on March 12.Although she may never tour or record again after 2017, Franklin is still open to participating in "some select things, maybe once a month, for six months out of the year."
Halle Berry always looks as though she swallowed a live bug, and just now realized it. Her resting face is glum and/or disgusted. The only way Halle could even begin to play Areatha is via camera tricks , similar to what Eddie Murphy did in some of his more funny movies.
I think that was aretha’s fantasy
“I have heard she was a real diva, demanding and thought her feces had no odor.”
That might have been it. The radio program I heard was years ago and my memory isn’t the best anymore.
Ahh, okay.
I got mixed up somehow or another.
I’ll blame it on my failing memory.
Soul music was king here in York, PA when I was in high school in the mid 1960’s. If you were a DJ or a band at a dance, you didn’t play Beatles, if you valued your safety.
But your error is common. A few years ago on a cruise, we heard a tribute to Motown, which included some numbers from Aretha. I mentioned it to a classmate of mine, and asked here if she knew what was wrong with that. She said, what I said, that Aretha never sang a note for Motown Records, at least back in the heyday of soul, although she might have more recently.
Some of the biggest soul music stars were not with Motown - James Brown, Joe Tex, Aretha, Ray Charles, Wilson Picket.
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