68 years ago today the Queen of Soul was born in Memphis, Tennessee as Aretha Louis Franklin. The soul, jazz and gospel afficionado was ranked #1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s greatest singers of all time.
On the strength of hits like “Respect,” “Think,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “Chain of Fools,” Franklin became a staple on the Billboard charts and in 1987 became the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Franklin was also the only featured singer at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009.
Check out some of Franklin’s photos and hits below:
“Think”
“One Step Ahead”
“Save Me”
