The Legend of Aretha Franklin by Aretha Franklin – The País.com (Spain)

Aretha Franklin sings during the swearing in of Obama as president of the USA in 2009 / p

An icon has its own icons. Although Aretha Franklin, as the journalist Anthony DeCurtis said to call the stage, would have to invent another word for what icon it is too small, the Queen of Soul talked last night in New York of his own: “The singers, people you can sing. ” “My mentor was the góspel- -leyenda Clara Ward. Of course, Mahalia Jackson, Etta James, George Benson, Stevie Wonder … Singers truth, “he said at the beginning of the evening.

entered the stage of 92Y in New York standing before an audience that followed clapping for over an hour and a half chat every sentence he said. “The greatest artist of all time”, as he called Rolling Stone last night presented his latest album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Classics Great Diva (sold vinyl since 30 September, on CD from 21 October) at the hands of his old friend and producer, currently chief creative officer, Sony Music Entertainment, Clive Davis, who revitalized his career in the eighties. “We met in 1979 when Aretha was already the Queen of Soul,” recalled Davis, and was also Man with golden ears , between the legendary producer whose signatures have been Janis Joplin, Springsteen, Santana, Aerosmith, Whitney Houston or Alicia Keys. “And here we are 35 years later with a very special new album.”

Davis selected 10 songs and 10 divas. And Franklin accepted all. “We are musical and intellectually compatible. Always agree, “said his long professional relationship. On the album, Queen revisits from At Last, Etta James, a Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinéad O’Connor, which could be heard for the first time last night. Passing by Barbra Streisand, The Supremes or Alicia Keys, and that was the first single revealed, Rolling In The Deep, of Adele. Franklin sang live on Monday The Late Show with David Letterman and in less than two days on YouTube for almost two million listeners. “In addition to the wonderful artist he is, [Adele] is a very good songwriter. Very strong and deep, “he said about the choice

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“I have loved good music, I love good music and love “

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Sam Cooke, one of his mentors, first idols and promoter of his career, once said “If people can sing with you, it’s probably a success.” Of the first times I heard Franklin Rolling in The Deep was through the screams of a group of teenagers who knew it perfectly. So the songs that become history and so have chosen the 10 that make up this album are recognized.

In fact, more than 10, since sometimes have mixed themes. In the chorus of Rolling in The Deep, for example, the chorus of Is not No Mountain High Enough, song Marvin Gaye and Tammi Tarrell written is heard Valerie Simpson who was in the audience last night.

Ashford and Simpson, her husband, was also the letter I’m Every Woman , sung by Chaka Khan in 1978 and Franklin revisits this album mixed with one of the titles that marked his career. Respect “I loved the original version of Otis Redding,” recalled last night to applause. “Redding came home one day and told him I wanted to record.” He did it on his piano, next to the window “for a closer look of what was happening outside,” and laughed. “It was very big at the time.” And both. His version of 1967 with the Sock it to me background that Franklin pulled his neighborhood, was not only one of the most important songs of his career, also an anthem of the civil rights struggle.

More than 40 years later, also put his unique voice to a historical event in this struggle: the inauguration of Obama in 2009, in which he sang My Country ‘Tis of Thee, is for Aretha Franklin the most exciting moment of his life. “It was history, the first black president” admitted last night.

Although who changed his life was his father-a life which, by the way, if you take her to the movies, he would like to interpret “Jennifer Hudson McDonald Aura or “-. “It was who had immediately recognized that voice and knew he had to sing,” he recalled. With him, the pastor of his church, he began to sing with the choir. “We toured the country for churches and auditoriums; weekends could win 50 bucks I spent on skates, … many burgers. ” For Franklin, the church, “besides being an inspiring spiritual factor” was his training camp. “If your vocals are so good voices out is by exposure at a young age that we have,” he said last night shortly after sounding version I Will Survive, of Gloria Gaynor singing in new album.

A suitable subject for a survivor like her. As Clive Davis called “a legend that will live forever” and, at 72, recently recovered from an illness that kept her away last year, still lives and for “well-written and well-structured music.” “The love of music,” said Franklin again and again is the secret of a career spanning more than 50 years. “I have loved good music, I love good music and love.”