Aretha Franklin was widely known as the Queen of Soul during her six decade career. With unrivaled vocal talent and innovative piano playing she changed American art culture radically; marrying gospel vocals with secular love songs in passionate secular songs with passionate melodies.
She began her singing career as a teenager singing in her father’s church. Later she recorded an impromptu performance on reel-to-reel tape that caught the attention of talent scouts.
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin has one of the most powerful voices in modern music, making her one of the most influential soul singers. Although she began as a gospel singer, Aretha became one of the leading advocates for race pride and empowerment during an era marked by civil rights strife. Her anthems like “Respect” still resonate powerfully today among disenfranchised communities worldwide.
Franklin began her recording career at Columbia Records, but it was when she made the switch to Atlantic that her career truly blossomed. Here she combined gospel vocals with inventive piano playing in emotive secular love songs – taking center stage at rock venue Fillmore West as well as touring Europe and Latin America extensively – culminating with Amazing Grace; one of the best-selling gospel albums ever.
By the late ’70s, she found herself losing touch with her soul-pop audience as the disco craze took hold, yet she returned strong with dance hits of the late 1980s and her 1982 comeback album with Luther Vandross, Back to You. From Detroit-retro finger snapping of La Diva through “School Days” patter tracks and synth pop production of A Deeper Love she explored numerous forms of soul music before passing away at age 64 in 2002.
Aretha Franklin was a force of nature; her voice resounded in every corner of your being and stirred your emotions like an earthquake. Her iconic wail became part of black history’s tragic-beautiful tales of slavery’s brutality and redemption, the very foundation of our culture. No matter the genre or setting – field hollers, work songs, stylized blues-jazz from Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday or Dinah Washington – she never let any part of their tragic histories fade into the background and also managed to capture its democratic diversity. Aretha epitomized black beauty at its best. From her natural hair and Nina Simone-inspired Afrocentric fashions on Amazing Grace and Young, Gifted and Black to the sequined gown glamour that marked her later years, Aretha personified black beauty at its fullest extent.
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys has established herself in multiple genres as a singer, pianist and composer – earning critical acclaim and awards. Beyond music, Keys is known for her work as an advocate for human rights and gender equality as well as being featured in multiple films including most recently directing one of five segments that made up cable TV movie Five (2011); she served as coach on television singing competition show The Voice (2016-18); hosted the Grammy Awards numerous times; launched a line of beauty products called Keys Soulcare; as well as writing her memoir More Myself.
Keys has earned her place as “the modern Queen of Soul.” Her music draws from various influences such as R&B, pop, hip hop and classical. Keys’ 2001 debut album Songs in a Minor quickly became a smash hit and has sold over three million copies worldwide, becoming a top ten seller since release. Her signature track from that album “Fallin” won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance that same year; earning Keys five awards total that year.
After her album was well received, Keys embarked on an international touring schedule in support of it. Since then, she has released six more albums and garnered many accolades; in 2008 she was honored by Amnesty International as an Ambassador of Conscience and founded Keep a Child Alive foundation to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Keys has made headlines for her activism and philanthropic efforts. She founded anti-poverty organization Keep a Child Alive and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2016. Additionally, Keys hosted and performed at both Grammy Awards ceremonies between 2019-20, released a full-length album entitled Keys featuring collaborations from Fivio Foreign and Kanye West as well as Keys Soulcare skin care line; most recently she wrote her memoir entitled More Myself.
Marcia Alderson
Marcia Alderson is a well-established real estate agent by day and an award-winning soul singer by night. Beginning her career in 1985 in Scarborough/Pickering and Collingwood areas of Toronto, Marcia enjoys performing live with her band at various venues while travelling extensively for both work and pleasure.
She was named a 2014 National Artist Teaching Fellow, and served as guest faculty for Berklee College of Music’s weeklong music intensives in both Los Angeles and Puerto Rico. Additionally, she served on the boards of both SF Chapter of Recording Academy as well as Temple Isaiah Lafayette where she worships regularly as soprano soloist – Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church and Calvary Lutheran Church were just two places she performed solos!
Marcia Alderson was shocked and deeply shaken when George Floyd’s death brought back memories of racism her mother and father experienced after immigrating from Jamaica in 1950s Canada. This experience inspired her to reconsider her musical pursuits and begin writing original songs for the first time; later becoming Queen M and hoping to inspire people against all forms of discrimination.
Alderson lives in Collingwood, a popular weekend getaway north of Toronto. She makes a comfortable living as a real estate agent, singing Motown and Bob Marley covers with local bands that she found through an agent. But after being inspired by musical late bloomers such as Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley she has taken a radical new path by becoming “Queen M” and beginning creating original music on her own for the first time ever.
Alderson hopes her new single, “Colour of Her Skin,” will spur listeners to confront racism in all forms. Alderson is working on her full-length album with drummer Bambalamb Kidd (Bam 528) and bassist Kyle Dreany from Sudbury rock band Superstack as part of her band.
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick ranks alongside Aretha Franklin when it comes to female soul music royalty. Her pop and R&B inspired songs dominated charts during the 60s, selling millions of records as she rose through the ranks. Additionally, Dionne won two Grammy awards while using her celebrity status to support various causes.
Born Marie Dionne Warrick in Orange, New Jersey, Warwick was immersed in spirituality and music from an early age. Her mother managed a gospel choir while her father worked as a Pullman porter, cook, and record promoter. At Hartt College of Music in Hartford Connecticut, Dionne perfected her vocal abilities further, eventually singing backup vocals at local venues as well as recording sessions before founding The Gospelaires with Dee Dee Warrick – this group enjoyed some success leading up to Warwick signing a recording contract in 1962.
After she released her debut album the following year, hits began coming in quickly – she became the first crossover artist with 12 consecutive Billboard Top 100 singles – as well as six-time Grammy winners and has sold over 85 million records worldwide.
Warwick has also made her mark through her activism and activism for civil rights causes, supporting organizations like Starlight Foundation for Children’s Hospitals as a strong supporter, fighting AIDS with strong advocacy, raising awareness for world hunger relief efforts and disaster relief among others.
Warwick experienced immense success during her heyday of the 1970s; however, in her later years, she encountered significant setbacks. She filed for bankruptcy and lost both Dee Dee to cancer as well as Whitney Houston four years later; nonetheless, Warwick persevered and released several hit albums over time.
Warwick had two huge hits during the 80s: “No Night So Long” was at the top of both pop and adult contemporary charts, as was her album Heartbreaker with the Bee Gees and its single, “That’s What Friends Are For.” Warwick collaborated on another charity song with Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder in 1985 that achieved crossover popularity: AIDS charity song “That’s What Friends Are For.”