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01
Whitney Houston was known to Aretha Franklin since Houston was five; Franklin was her godmother.
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02
In 1987, Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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03
On August 13, 2018, Franklin was reported to be gravely ill with pancreatic cancer in a Detroit hospital; she died at home on August 16, 2018, aged 76.
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04
Her voice was designated a Natural Resource by the State of Michigan.
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05
In 2012, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, described as the voice of the civil rights movement and black America.
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06
A fear of flying affected her schedule; she declined attending her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction due to this phobia.
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07
VH1 ranked her #1 on their list of Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.
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08
She and Smokey Robinson grew up together in Detroit.
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09
Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, was an avid fan of her work.
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10
On August 29, 1979, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6920 Hollywood Boulevard.
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11
She won 18 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Legend Award, and a Kennedy Center Honor.
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12
On November 16, 2005, she was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for her contribution to British music.
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13
She died intestate with a reported net worth of $80 million.
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14
The lavish hat she wore at Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration was by Detroit’s Mr. Song Millinery; it sold out after the event.
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15
Her personal favorites of her recorded songs include Respect 1967, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman 1967, and I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You 1967.
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16
In 1992, she performed at President Bill Clinton’s inaugural celebration.
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17
On November 9, 2005, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush.
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18
Rolling Stone voted her the 9th Greatest Rock n Roll Artist of all time.
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19
She had four sons: Clarence Franklin b. January 28, 1955, Edward Franklin b. January 5, 1957, Teddy Richards b. January 30, 1963, and Kecalf Cunningham b. March 28, 1970.
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20
An asteroid, 249516 Aretha, was named after her by NASA’s NEOWISE project.
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21
Her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, died in 1984 after being shot by a burglar.
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22
Many fans, critics, and fellow musicians consider her the greatest soul singer of all time.
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23
In 1999, she received the National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts.
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24
She was the younger sister of Erma Franklin, who originally recorded Piece of My Heart, and older sister of Carolyn Franklin, who wrote Ain’t No Way.
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25
Lifelong friends included Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross.
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26
She sang God Bless America at President Barack Obama’s inauguration on January 20, 2009.
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27
Her funeral in Detroit was attended by Bill and Hillary Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and others.
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28
She shared an almost identical birthday with Diana Ross, despite being two years older.
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29
In 2008, Rolling Stone voted her the greatest singer of the rock era.
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30
Her 1987 duet I Knew You Were Waiting For Me with George Michael became her only UK number-one single.
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31
She was portrayed by Jennifer Hudson in the 2021 film Respect.
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32
On December 8, 2010, it was reported that she had pancreatic cancer.
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33
Her favorite childhood film was The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex 1939.
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34
She is portrayed by Cynthia Erivo in the television series Genius: Aretha.
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35
She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
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36
She was named after two of her father’s sisters, Aretha and Louise.
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37
In 2014, she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from NYU.
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38
She insisted on being paid $25,000 cash in advance of shows but accepted checks for balances.
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39
The song Life Is a Rock But the Radio Rolled Me by Reunion mentions her.
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40
She was a lifelong Democrat.
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41
Grandmother of Victorie Franklin.
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42
In 1947, at age five, her family moved to Detroit, Michigan.
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43
She was born on the same date as Richard Riff Raff O’Brien of The Rocky Horror Show.
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44
She was godmother to Whitney Houston.
