Aretha Franklin has died, one of the greatest female voices of the twentieth century

Aretha Franklin, la regina del soul, è morta oggi a 76 anni nella sua casa di Detroit. Era da tempo gravemente malata, affetta da una forma di tumore al pancreas, che già da qualche anno aveva dichiarato di avere.

Between the Sixties and Seventies in particular, she recorded some of the most famous soul songs of all time, such as "Respect", "Think" and "You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)" (written by Carole King), collaborating with countless artists across every genre.

Also surprising were her forays into film, such as in "The Blues Brothers" by John Landis, in which she played a stern fast-food restaurant owner. The previous year she had announced her decision to almost entirely stop performing live, and at the start of this year she had been forced to cancel several concerts – including one in Newark for her 76th birthday – on doctors' advice.

Aretha Franklin was not only the greatest soul singer of all time, but also a performer with a sublime and at the same time devastating voice. When Aretha sang, she made the song her own, her voice and delivery pushing the material towards new meanings.

Take Otis Redding's "Respect", which in her rendition gains fresh vitality and energy. While other Black female singers of the period were sugary and romantic, Lady Soul was instead fierce, gritty, or genuinely sorrowful. Aretha was a true queen of Black music, perfectly embodying the new Black generation's need for spirituality, and illuminating every song with her talent.

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