Aretha Franklin conquerd the R&B world by storm with her 1967 album 'I never loved a Man' and was quickly dubbed the 'Queen of Soul'. The single 'Respect' did not only top the R&B charts and won a Grammy but the title perfectly expressed the feelings of the black community at the time.

Born 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha Franklin started singing Gospel in her father's church as a child. Her first years in the music business for Columbia Records during the early sixties proved both artistically and commercially unsuccessful. When she signed with Atlantic in 1967 things changed rapidly. Backed by the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section and driven by her powerful voice and immense range she became one of the biggest stars of R&B and Soul music ever. Following her initial breaktrough she delivered a string of successful albums and soulful hit singles like 'Chain of Fools' and 'Think'. Starting in 1968 she won eight successsive Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Without a doubt, Aretha Franklin took Soul music to new and very funky heights.