There are few cultural icons who can be referred to by a single name and instantly command respect. One such undeniably identifiable name that summons admiration is Aretha.
The reason Aretha is such a recognizable name is because of Aretha Franklin, who died at age 76 on this date five years ago. Aretha garnered respect not because of the song “Respect” that she made hers but because she had a voice like no other and an ability to sing with a conviction rarely heard.
The sound of Aretha’s voice is as identifiable as her name. When she sang she created music that’s proven timeless over the decades as they became infused with the fabric of our culture. While she was credited with writing many of her hit songs like “Think,” “Day Dreaming,” “Rock Steady,” “Call Me” and “Dr. Feelgood,” Aretha could also take a song, like the aforementioned Otis Redding-written “Respect,” and make it her own.
Another of Aretha Franklin’s signature songs was “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” which she released in 1967 and reached the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10. Written for Franklin, the music for the song was written by Carole King and the lyrics were composed by her writing partner Gerry Goffin.
Though King went on to record “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” for her standout 1971 album Tapestry, Aretha’s version remained the definitive recording of the song.
King was among the honorees at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in Washington D.C. George Lucas, Rita Moreno, Seiji Ozawa and Cicely Tyson were also honored at the annual event attended by then-President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
During the part of the ceremony recognizing Carole King, a surprise appearance by Aretha Franklin delighted the visibly stunned King. Franklin, herself a 1994 Kennedy Center Honoree, delivered a show-stopping performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” which appeared to make President Obama a little misty eyed as he watch Franklin, who had performed at his first inauguration in 2009.
Beginning on piano, Aretha walked from the instrument to the center of the stage and triumphantly tossed off a fur coat she was wearing before bringing the performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” to a soaring conclusion.
Watch the moving performance below:
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PBS NewsHour
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Five years ago the Obamas released a joint statement responding to Aretha’s death. Their message follows:
“America has no royalty. But we do have a chance to earn something more enduring. Born in Memphis and raised in Detroit, Aretha Franklin grew up performing gospel songs in her father’s congregation. For more than six decades since, every time she sang, we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine. Through her compositions and unmatched musicianship, Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance.
“Aretha may have passed on to a better place, but the gift of her music remains to inspire us all. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. Michelle and I send our prayers and warmest sympathies to her family and all those moved by her song.”