Christopher Remembers “The Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin

August 16, 2018 

Today the world lost a true legend.  I was very close to Aretha Franklin and her family back when I split my time between my hometown of Detroit and living in New York City.  I had just started to work a lot on television, I can’t even remember how or when we first met, but Aretha was such a special person.  I had the pleasure of spending time with her and her family countless times at her house in suburban Detroit, and while she was out on the road performing. I have all kinds of awesome memories, from being at her house on Thanksgiving Day, to being backstage in New York when she tore it up at Radio City Music Hall. And since most of you are singers and musicians, I thought I would share with you this really cool Aretha story.  

The picture of her and I together was taken “back in the day” at her house during a Christmas party.  Aretha always threw these really great parties at her house, and towards the end of the night, around 1 am or so, she would always sit down at her piano and sing some of her songs.  It was so cool!  There was never any big announcement that she was about to perform or anything, you would just hear her start to play her piano and no matter where you were in the house, you just knew she was about to jam!  Everyone would just run to her living room and there she would be. No mic, no fanfare, just this incredible legend with that amazing voice sitting at her piano entertaining her guests.  She was always so kind to me and I will always cherish the memories I have of spending time with her.  

You are probably familiar with her major hits, but one of my favorite Aretha songs is a lesser known song called “Sweet Bitter Love”.  Here is a link, check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAZv96TcPSQ

Please keep her family in your prayers.  GOD bless you, Aretha.  May you rest in peace.
- Christopher