Am I mistaken, or was Aretha Franklin at death’s door a few years ago?
I guess she recovered nicely, because her 39th studio album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics is due out later this year.
At 72, here’s Aretha not just alive but belting out Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ with her typical style and power.
I feel a little guilty for having only two women on this top twenty, though I suppose it’s less egregious considering I have only nine artists total. But the two albums recorded by women are truly special — seminal releases that play just as well today as they did thirty plus years ago.
My impression of Aretha Franklin (by which I mean my thoughts about her, not an actual impression I do… though that would be cool) was always that she’s a washed-up has-been who is trotted on stage at the Grammys to lend weak backup vocals to some up-and-comer. I know, that’s a very harsh assessment, and I admit it’s a completely ignorant one.
That’s because for the longest time I had no concept of what Aretha Franklin meant, and accomplished, when she was at her peak. Sure, I had heard ‘Respect,’ but that was pretty much it.
Meet Me In Montauk 