Last month we lost one of our iconic singers, Aretha Louise Franklin. How I will miss hearing her beautiful voice. As I've read the numerous articles about her life, I was
surprised
to learn about the many personal
struggles
she
encountered
along her journey to become one of the world's greatest singers. In today's devotion, I'm sharing snippets of her life story
with biographical data taken from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aretha_Franklin.
My devotion is longer than usual, but I hope you'll find it worth the reading.
1942
- Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Baptist preacher Reverend Clarence La Vaughan "C. L." Franklin and Barbara Siggers Franklin, a gospel singer.
1946- A self-taught pianist and gifted with a powerful voice, Aretha begin singing and playing in front of her father's congregation at the tender age of four.
1948
- Due to allegations of infidelity, her mother and father separated when Aretha was ten years old and her father was left with the task of raising Aretha and her four siblings.
But she kept on singing.
1952 - When Aretha was ten years old, her mother died of a heart attack
at the age of thirty four.
But she kept on singing.
1955 - While touring as a singer with her father's traveling revival show, she become a teenage mother at the age of twelve.
But she kept on singing.
1957 - Two years later, she become a teenage mother again with the birth of her second son.
But she kept on singing.
1960 - After a brief hiatus raising her children, she signed with Columbia Records, and released her first album.
Although she enjoyed moderate moderate success with Columbia, they failed to showcase her immense talent.
But she kept on singing.
1961 - After marrying her first husband, he encouraged her to leave Columbia Records and sign with Atlantic records.
But she kept on singing.
1964- Aretha's third son was born.
But she kept on singing.
1966 - During her tenure with Atlantic records, she found her musical stride and begin producing a number of classic and enduring hits like
Respect , Baby, I love you, Think, I say a little prayer,
Chain of fools and
You make me feel like (A Natural Woman). But amidst her success, her marriage crumbled due to allegations of physical abuse and she was left with the task of being a single mother of three sons.
But she kept on singing.
1968- Her song,
Respect, became a song of empowerment during the Civil Rights Movement and she became good friends with Dr. Martin Luther King. However, their friendship came to an abrupt end when he was assassinated and she was given the task of singing at his funeral.
But she kept on singing.
1970 - Franklin's dominance on the charts earned her the title
Queen of Soul at the end of the '60's. The '70's decade brought her more hits, including
Don't play that song, Spanish Harlem, and Bridge over Troubled Waters, but as the decade closed, it also brought her more troubles: A
string of chart failures ended her relationship with Atlantic records. Her father was shot after a burglary attempt and she was hit with a massive IRS tax bill. She also birthed her fourth son by her long-time road manager.
But she kept on singing.
1979 - After signing with her third record label,
Arista, her career revived and she begin to produce hits again like:
Jump to it, Who's Zooming who", Freeway of Love, and A Rose is still a Rose and received her first Grammy nomination. But with her renewed success came the demise of her second marriage and the death of her father.
But she kept on singing.
1990's and beyond
In spite of her continued health, family and financial challenges, Aretha Franklin went on to record more hit songs, receive eighteen Grammy's, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, sang at two presidential inaugurations, was awarded a Lifetime achievement award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and become the second woman to be inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.
She is considered the most charted female artist in history, having sold more than 75 million records world-wide.
All because she never stopped singing.
2018 - Aretha Louise Franklin lost her battle with pancreatic cancer. As we continue to grieve the death of this great singer,
may we also be thankful. Thankful for
the life she lived and the legacy of music she leaves behind. For they now serve to remind us that whatever the test, trial, challenge or obstacle we face along the way of our life journey to never stop singing.
Sharing the journey,
Jeaninne
Prayer: Father, thank you for the life and legacy of Aretha Louise Franklin. Amen.
My heart is 
