Aretha Franklin - A Natural Woman - Carole King Tribute Kennedy Center Honors 2015

She continued to record acclaimed albums such as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967), Lady Soul (1968), Spirit in the Dark (1970), Young, Gifted and Black (1972), Amazing Grace (1972), and Sparkle (1976) before experiencing problems with her record company. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 and signed with Arista Records. She appeared in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers before releasing the successful albums Jump to It (1982), Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985), and Aretha (1986) on the Arista label. In 1998, Franklin returned to the top 40 with the Lauryn Hill-produced song "A Rose Is Still a Rose", later issuing the album of the same name, which went gold. That same year, Franklin earned international acclaim for her performance of "Nessun dorma" at the Grammy Awards, filling in at the last minute for Luciano Pavarotti, who had canceled after the show had already begun.[3][4] In a widely noted performance, she paid tribute to 2015 honoree Carole King by singing "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Franklin recorded 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries, and 20 number-one R&B singles, becoming the most charted female artist in history. Franklin's other well-known hits include "Rock Steady", "Call Me", "Ain't No Way", "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Spanish Harlem", "Day Dreaming", "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)", "Something He Can Feel", "Jump to It", "Freeway of Love", "Who's Zoomin' Who", and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (a duet with George Michael). She won 18 Grammy Awards[5], including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (1968–1975), and she is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide.[6]

On August 13, 2018, Franklin was reported to be gravely ill at her home in Riverfront Towers, Detroit.[140][141] She was under hospice care and surrounded by friends and family. Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson and ex-husband Glynn Turman visited her on her deathbed.[142] Franklin died at her home on August 16, 2018, aged 76,[143] without a will.[144] The cause of death was pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET),[145][146] though widely mis-reported as pancreatic cancer, a different disease.[147][148] Numerous celebrities in the entertainment industry and politicians paid tribute to Franklin, including former U.S. president Barack Obama who said she "helped define the American experience".[149] Civil rights activist and minister Al Sharpton called her a "civil rights and humanitarian icon".[150]

A memorial service was held at New Bethel Baptist Church on August 19.[151] Thousands then paid their respects during the public lying-in-repose at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.[152] The August 31 Homegoing Service held at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, included multiple tributes by celebrities, politicians, friends and family members and was streamed by some news agencies[153] such as Fox News, CNN, The Word Network, BET and MSNBC.[154] Among those who paid tribute to Aretha at the service were Ariana Grande, Bill Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, Faith Hill, Fantasia, The Clark Sisters, Ronald Isley, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Holliday, Jennifer Hudson, Shirley Caesar,[155] Stevie Wonder, Eric Holder, Gladys Knight, Tyler Perry, Smokey Robinson, and Yolanda Adams.[156][157] At her request she was eulogized by Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. of Salem Baptist Church in Atlanta, as Williams had eulogized her father as well as speaking at other family memorials.[158] William's eulogy was criticized for being "a political address that described children being in a home without a father as 'abortion after birth' and said black lives do not matter unless blacks stop killing each other". Franklin's nephew Vaughan complained of Williams: "He spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her".[159][160]

Following a telecast procession up Seven Mile Road, Franklin was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.

[tumblewheed]

65 y.o. man and I can not watch this without tissues! Aretha, there will never be another like you! God Bless!

[woekel]

The only artist in the world that can walk on stage with her purse, and placing it next to her on the piano, and stil looking like the coolest person in the world

[SuperLaurielove]

a genius and great artist. most powerful performance I've seen at the Kennedy Center awards shows.

[davefordavefor]

It is amazing to see how wonderfully impacted Carole King was by Aretha’s performance. This is one of the very few times in my life that I shed tears because something was so wonderful.

[davideee]

How the hell could anyone “down vote” this?

[topsyturvy]

Amazing artists both Carle King and Aretha Franklin.

[larrycourtney]

Aretha got me crying. That performance of Natural Woman will never be topped, that was more than fantastic. One of the greatest singers and song writers Carole King gets one of her greatest hits sang by one of the greatest women singers of all time Ms. Aretha Franklin.

[KarenNicholson-es]

❤ This was a wonderful tribute and wonderfully sung by Miss Franklin. Background singers were great!!

[direfranchement]

People talk about Obama shed a tear after she started singing, but that Asian man sitting behind him looked like he was crying from the moment she walked out to the piano!

[tacodaddy]

Who in the world is that crying Asian.