Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” was a revolutionary and arguably one of the best voices this country has ever had the privilege of calling its own.
If you were lucky enough to see the icon perform in the flesh, it’s likely that experience is one you’ll never forget. For those of us who haven’t and missed our chance, listening to recordings of Franklin, who died on Thursday, and watching her perform on video are the best ways to relive the magic that we can muster.
Listen to some of her best hits here:
Watch some of her most unforgettable performances below:
“Won’t Be Long,” on “The New Steve Allen Show,” 1964
“Respect,” France, 1967
“I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You),” “Lady Soul” TV special, 1968
“Say a Little Prayer,” on “This Is Tom Jones,” 1970
“Bridge Over Troubled Water,” at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, 1971
“Amazing Grace,” at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, 1972
“Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” at her father’s funeral in Detroit, 1984
“I Dreamed a Dream,” Bill Clinton’s inauguration gala in Washington, 1993
“Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)” with Stevie Wonder, Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, 2005
“My Country ’Tis of Thee,” inauguration of Barack Obama in Washington, 2009
“Think,” at the wedding of Bill White and Bryan Eure at the Four Seasons in New York City, 2011
“(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman,” at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, 2015
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” at the Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit, 2016
Before You Go
