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* Aretha Franklin is an internationally adored American icon. It is a shame that her layered and complicated story was not brought to screens, big or small, within her lifetime…though the blame for that lays largely at her feet. Last March, National Geographic Channel devoted an 8-part miniseries to Franklin as part of its […]

Gwendolyn Quinn with Aretha Franklin at one of Franklin’s legendary birthday celebrations in New York City (Photo Courtesy of Gwendolyn Quinn) *It has been nearly two months since the death of Aretha Franklin, my longtime client, and friend. I’ve worked with Aretha for more than 20 years. Our professional relationship started during my tenure […]

*“Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin’s homegoing service can best be described as a combination of a revival, political rally, motivational talk, musical tribute, roast and of course worship service. Presenters from the world of entertainment, sports, politics, business, and Franklin’s closest friends came together on one stage to celebrate not only the Queen’s musical talents […]

Aretha illustration by Troy Tieuel *“Angela Davis must go free. Black people will be free. I’ve been locked up. And I know you got to disturb the peace when you can’t get no peace.” I thought of Aretha Franklin’s words each time I was at one of her concerts. The last being at […]

*With the release of the almost 50-year-old documentary of Aretha Franklin’s “Amazing Grace” album recorded in Los Angeles at gospel giant James Cleveland’s church (click here), here’s a book review I wrote four years ago, “The Life of Aretha Franklin” by David Ritz. I highly recommend the book for all Aretha fans. It’s very insightful! […]

Aretha Franklin attends Keep a Child Aliveís 2014 Black Ball at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP) *Lester Holt, Shonda Rhimes, Bette Midler, Ava DuVernay, Bill Cosby and Chance the Rapper are among those who have paid tribute to Aretha Franklin, who died Thursday […]

Tituss Burgess stars as Reverend Dr. James Cleveland and Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in ‘RESPECT,’ A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Quantrell D. Colbert *The upcoming MGM film “RESPECT,” starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, will follow the rise of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The story follows her career […]

HOSTED BY TYLER PERRY, THE ONE-OF-A-KIND CONCERT WILL FEATURE EXCITING AND MOVING PERFORMANCES OF ARETHA’S LEGENDARY HITS BY TODAY’S BIGGEST ARTISTS *SANTA MONICA, CALIF.  —  The Recording Academy™, AEG Ehrlich Ventures, Clive Davis, and CBS will pay tribute to the legendary career of 18-time GRAMMY® winner and 2008 MusiCares® Person of the Year honoree Aretha Franklin […]

Donald Trump reading his Aretha Franklin “tribute” before a cabinet meeting at the White House (Aug. 16, 2018) *Donald Trump offered condolences to the family of Aretha Franklin following her death on Thursday, and, left social media irate over his choice of words. “I want to begin today by expressing my condolences to the […]

Aretha Franklin photographed by Matthew Jordan Smith *As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, celebrity, fashion, and beauty photographer Matthew Jordan Smith honors the late Aretha Franklin today with a new coffee table book titled, “Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits,” on what would have been her 82nd birthday.  The beautifully crafted 256-page […]

Aretha Franklin sings in the Atlantic Records studio on Jan. 9, 1969 in New York. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) *Her voice was as bold and thunderous as her civil rights support quiet and discreet. Jesse Jackson wrote of Aretha Franklin in USA TODAY after her death in 2018: “When Dr. King was alive, […]

Aretha Franklin shares the spirit in a moment from the newly released 1972 documentary “Amazing Grace.” *If you love and appreciate true American “soul”  and gospel music, not to mention one of the greatest to ever perform it — Aretha Franklin — then there is no better document than the long-hidden film treasure […]

Jennifer Hudson & Aretha Franklin (Getty) *LOS ANGELES – Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) announced today the award-winning ensemble cast joining Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson in the feature film RESPECT, based on the life of music icon Aretha Franklin. Following the rise of Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, […]

[…] has appeared on shows and worked with hundreds of renowned recording artists from Lenny Kravitz to Stevie Wonder. Currently, Dash is doing an upcoming Tribute Show to Aretha Franklin. Ms Dash will be performing 3 concerts in tribute to Aretha on Saturday, November 3 at 8:30 pm at the Union Firehouse, located at 18 […]

Cynthia Erivo stars in ‘Genius: Aretha’ *(WASHINGTON, DC) Today, Double Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo (@CynthiaErivo) marked her birthday by honoring The Queen and unveiling the exclusive key art for National Geographic’s highly anticipated 8-part limited series, GENIUS: ARETHA. Erivo will star as the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, in the third season of the Emmy award-winning global anthology […]