Aretha Franklin: The Rise Of The Soap Opera Children Of The Gospel Church And

In the world of music, there are very few names that capture the attention and admiration of millions like Aretha Franklin. Her unmistakable voice, filled with soul and passion, has carved a permanent place in the history of American music. From her humble beginnings in the gospel church to her rise to stardom, Franklin's journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. She was raised in a deeply religious household, with her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, being a prominent Baptist minister. Franklin's exposure to music began at a very young age as she regularly attended her father's church, the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit.

It was inside the walls of the New Bethel Baptist Church where Franklin first discovered her love for music. She began singing in the church choir, showcasing her natural talent and captivating the congregation with her powerful vocals. Franklin's voice was unique and soulful, drawing inspiration from both gospel and blues traditions.

The Fan Who Knew Too Much: Aretha Franklin, the Rise of the Soap Opera, Children of the Gospel Church, and Other Meditations

by Anthony Heilbut(Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5328 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray for textbooks	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	368 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

As Franklin continued to develop her musical abilities, her talent caught the attention of various record labels. In 1960, at the age of 18, she signed her first contract with Columbia Records. However, her time with Columbia was largely unremarkable, and it was not until she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966 that her career would truly take off.

Under the guidance of Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, Franklin's music took on a new direction. Wexler recognized Franklin's incredible vocal range and decided to embrace her gospel roots, infusing her music with elements of soul and R&B. The result was a string of hit singles, including "Respect," "Chain of Fools," and "Think," which would cement Franklin's status as the undisputed Queen of Soul.

One aspect that set Franklin apart from her contemporaries was her ability to infuse her music with emotive storytelling. Her songs conveyed a deep sense of emotion and vulnerability, often drawing from her own personal experiences. Franklin's ability to connect with her audience on a deeply emotional level gave her music a distinct quality that resonated with millions.

Franklin's rise to fame coincided with a time of great social and cultural change in America. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, and the country was grappling with issues of racial inequality and political unrest. Franklin's music became a powerful tool for social commentary, with songs like "Respect" becoming anthems for both the civil rights and feminist movements.

Despite her immense success, Franklin's personal life was not without its own challenges. She struggled with her health, facing various medical issues throughout her life. Additionally, her relationships, including marriages and family dynamics, were often plagued by turmoil and controversy.

However, Franklin's music remained a constant source of strength and resilience for both herself and her fans. Her powerful voice and unwavering spirit served as symbols of hope and inspiration, proving that talent and determination can overcome even the greatest of obstacles.

Aretha Franklin's impact on the music industry and American culture cannot be overstated. She was a trailblazer, breaking down barriers and shattering glass ceilings for women and African-American artists. Her music continues to be celebrated today, with countless artists citing her as a major influence.

From her humble origins in the gospel church to her rise to fame as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin's story is one of triumph and perseverance. Her ability to infuse her music with emotion and her commitment to using her platform for social change make her a true icon of our time.

, the rise of Aretha Franklin from the soap opera children of the gospel church to her legendary status as the Queen of Soul is a testament to the power of talent and determination. Her soulful voice and emotive storytelling have left an indelible mark on the music industry, inspiring generations to come. Aretha Franklin will forever be remembered as a true musical legend.

The Fan Who Knew Too Much: Aretha Franklin, the Rise of the Soap Opera, Children of the Gospel Church, and Other Meditations

by Anthony Heilbut(Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	5328 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray for textbooks	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	368 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

A dazzling exploration of American culture—from high pop to highbrow—by acclaimed music authority, cultural historian, and biographer Anthony Heilbut, author of the now classic The Gospel Sound (“Definitive” —Rolling Stone),Exiled in Paradise, and Thomas Mann (“Electric”—Harold Brodkey).

In The Fan Who Knew Too Much, Heilbut writes about art and obsession, from country blues singers and male sopranos to European intellectuals and the originators of radio soap opera—figures transfixed and transformed who helped to change the American cultural landscape.

Heilbut writes about Aretha Franklin, the longest-lasting female star of our time, who changed performing for women of all races. He writes about Aretha’s evolution as a singer and performer (she came out of the tradition of Mahalia Jackson); before Aretha, there were only two blues-singing gospel women—Dinah Washington, who told it like it was, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who specialized, like Aretha, in ambivalence, erotic gospel, and holy blues.

We see the influence of Aretha’s father, C. L. Franklin, famous pastor of Detroit’s New Bethel Baptist Church. Franklin’s albums preached a theology of liberation and racial pride that sold millions and helped prepare the way for Martin Luther King Jr. Reverend Franklin was considered royalty and, Heilbut writes, it was inevitable that his daughter would become the Queen of Soul.

In “The Children and Their Secret Closet,” Heilbut writes about gays in the Pentecostal church, the black church’s rock and shield for more than a hundred years, its true heroes, and among its most faithful members and vivid celebrants. And he explores, as well, the influential role of gays in the white Pentecostal church.
In “Somebody Else’s Paradise,” Heilbut writes about the German exiles who fled Hitler—Einstein, Hannah Arendt, Marlene Dietrich, and others—and their long reach into the world of American science, art, politics, and literature. He contemplates the continued relevance of the émigré Joseph Roth, a Galician Jew, who died an impoverished alcoholic and is now considered the peer of Kafka and Thomas Mann.

And in “Brave Tomorrows for Bachelor’s Children,” Heilbut explores the evolution of the soap opera. He writes about the form itself and how it catered to social outcasts and have-nots; the writers insisting its values were traditional, conservative; their critics seeing soap operas as the secret saboteurs of traditional marriage—the women as castrating wives; their husbands as emasculated men. Heilbut writes that soaps went beyond melodrama, deep into the perverse and the surreal, domesticating Freud and making sibling rivalry, transference, and Oedipal and Electra complexes the stuff of daily life. 

And he writes of the “daytime serial’s unwed mother,” Irna Phillips, a Chicago wannabe actress (a Margaret Hamilton of the shtetl) who created radio’s most seminal soap operas—Today’s Children, TheRoad of Life among them—and for television, As the World Turns, Guiding Light, etc., and who became known as the “queen of the soaps.” Hers, Heilbut writes, was the proud perspective of someone who didn’t fit anywhere, the stray no one loved.

The Fan Who Knew Too Much is a revelatory look at some of our American icons and iconic institutions, high, low, and exalted.