Aretha Louise Franklin, also known as the Queen of Soul, was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis Tennessee. She is known to be a solo singer and also a very talented pianist. She sings soul, R&B, jazz and gospel. Throughout her career, she signed with Colombia Records, along with a few others, and released many popular singles that would now be considered classics. Aretha was the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She also had to grow up earlier than many other girls because she had her first child very young. Till date, Aretha is still alive, at seventy-two years old, has won numerous Grammy Awards and is considered one of the most honored artists. Aretha was born into a family that attended a Baptist church, with her father named CL Franklin, who was a Baptist preacher and gospel singer. Her mother was also a gospel singer and somehow reports circulated that her mother abandoned Aretha and her siblings, but she claims it was all a lie (“CNN”). She was the fourth of five children and lost her mother in 1952, a few years after her parents divorced. Aretha was later transferred with her father and siblings to Michigan due to her father's preaching calling. “Guided by CL's preaching missions, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan. CL eventually landed at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where he gained national prominence as a preacher” (“Aretha Louise Franklin.”). In Michigan, they found a church they attended under the name Detroit's New Baptists. Her father was known as a preacher and her talent began to show when she sang in her father's congregation. She is primarily self-taught... middle of paper ......aspect, "Highway of Love" and "I Say a Little Prayer" ("Biography"). She is also still alive and her most recent album, “Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love,” was released in 2011. Works Cited “Aretha Franklin | Music biography, credits and discography | AllMusic. All music. Np, ndWeb. May 9, 2014. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/aretha-franklin-mn0000927555>."Aretha Louise Franklin." Biography. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. May 12, 2014. “Biography.” IMDb. IMDb.com, and Web. May 9, 2014..McCully, Michael. “Aretha Franklin.” MUSC103: History of Rock'n Roll. Conference. Ward, Ed. "Aretha Franklin Before the Atlantic: The Columbia Years." NPR. NPR, and Web. May 9, 2014."MOMENT IN WOMEN'S HISTORY: MARCH 25, 1942 ~ THE BIRTH OF ARETHA FRANKLIN, QUEEN OF THE SOUL." BlackInAmerica.com. Dante Lee, 2013. The web. May 12 2014