Respect The Life of Aretha Franklin

A must-read for fans but objectively, not a five-star biography.

Aretha Franklin’s brother Cecil describes her in the book: “[Aretha] is not a simple woman. She's a genius, and geniuses are plagued by their talent. Their talent takes over their lives and overwhelms everything else...her genius gave her a sensitivity and vulnerability ordinary people can't understand. She feels too much. She feels too deeply. She can be hurt too easily." This fascinating book covers the genius and the vulnerability of the Queen of Soul. The genius of her work is wide and deep. The vulnerability, which includes her fears, her tantrums, and her mistakes, are numerous. Before this book, I was appreciative of Ms. Franklin’s genius, but only superficially. David Ritz, the author, takes you on a deeper tour into her work. I would recommend having a Spotify account nearby. It’s a necessity to jump from recording to recording, as Mr. Ritz describes the origins of these songs. You must listen to “Skylark” as Ritz describes her refined, highly orchestrated, yet underachieving years at Columbia Records. You must listen to the legendary recordings at Atlantic produced by Jerry Wexler (listen “Think”, “Gentle on My Mind”, “When the Battle is Over”). The story of her “Amazing Grace” live recording is fascinating, and a must listen. The story of “Sparkle” - her collaboration with Curtis Mayfield - is amazing. You can also sample the forgettable, synthetic pop songs from her years at Arista Records, as she struggles to stay relevant. The span of her work is amazing. Her genius label is well earned. As Ms. Franklin gets older, however, you also see her turn inward. Her paranoia increases. She pushes away producers, managers, and family. She squanders opportunities to maintain quality work. She squanders incredible amounts of money. Her diva reputation expands, as does her weight. It’s natural to think that we were denied even more genius work as a result of Ms. Franklin's idiosyncrasies. That’s incorrect. Instead, her paranoia comes directly from her vulnerability. And, as Ritz illustrates very well, that vulnerability is the source of all her genius. Without the vulnerability, there is no genius.