The singer Carole King believed changed music and humanity forever
Carole King said Aretha Franklin’s influence reached beyond popular music, praising her ability to bring gospel’s emotional force into pop, soul, R&B and rock. King believed Franklin’s singing could move people and affect humanity because she performed with joy, commitment and a sense of spiritual intensity.
King wrote “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” with Gerry Goffin for Franklin in the late 1960s. At the 2015 Kennedy Centre Honours, Franklin performed the song in tribute to King, who said the rendition took it to a new level. Franklin’s career included 18 Grammy Awards and 75 million records sold; Barack Obama also praised her ability to capture the breadth of the American experience through song.
In short
- Carole King said Aretha Franklin’s influence extended beyond music.
- Franklin brought gospel feeling into pop and other genres.
- King praised Franklin’s 2015 tribute performance of “A Natural Woman”.
Explained simply
Aretha Franklin was an American singer whose music drew on gospel, the religious music tradition rooted in Black churches. She brought its expressive vocals into soul, rhythm and blues, pop and rock, reaching audiences across several genres.
Songwriter Carole King and lyricist Gerry Goffin wrote “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” for Franklin in the 1960s. Franklin later performed it in tribute to King at the 2015 Kennedy Centre Honours, reflecting the lasting connection between the singer and the songwriters.
Franklin won 18 Grammy Awards and sold millions of records. Her singing was also praised for expressing a broad range of American experiences, helping explain why her influence is often discussed beyond music.
Business Entertainment Markets Music