When we lost our beloved Aretha Franklin in 2018, it was initially reported that she had no will in place. But lo and behold, by the time 2019 rolled around…not just one, but TWO wills surfaced, and Aretha’s sons had been beefin’ over the wills ever since. One will was dated in 2010 and the other was dated in 2014. There were several differences between the two wills, particularly pertaining to which of Aretha’s sons would control her estate. Thankfully, for them the suspense is finally over, with one of the ‘Queen’s’ sons losing in a major way.

The jury in the Aretha Franklin estate case has now determined that a handwritten will from 2014 should be considered the official document. This will was discovered by Aretha’s niece under a sofa cushion inside Aretha’s home, after she’d passed away. The jury deliberated for nearly an hour before reaching their decision.

The dispute over the two separate wills has been crazy heated between the Queen Of Soul’s sons. Two of her sons – Kecalf Franklin and Edward Franklin – argued in favor of the 2014 will; while her other son – Ted White II – was claiming the 2010 will was the official one. For the record…although Aretha has four sons total, her fourth son, Clarence Franklin, has special needs and is under legal guardianship, so he was not involved in the case.

Now, here’s what the arguments over the wills were all about. The 2014 version of Aretha’s will, sons, Kecalf and Edward Franklin, are listed as the executors of her estate (which is said to range anywhere between $6 million to $80 million), and it seems to have their brother, Ted White II’s, name crossed out in the handwritten doc. However, in the 2010 draft of Aretha’s will Ted was listed as the executor of her estate. The 2010 version also seemingly required Kecalf and Edward to take business classes so they could earn a degree of some sort in the field; but the 2014 version doesn’t list that detail at all.

Kecalf Franklin testified that he believed the signature on the 2014 will was valid, pointing out that it included a smiley face, which was characteristic of their mom’s signature. Additionally, Edward Franklin’s attorney, Craig Smith, emphasized the significance of the opening lines of the 2014 will…stating that it clearly indicated Franklin’s intent. Smith even made a lighthearted comment about the popularity of Franklin’s music, suggesting that they might still be playing her hit song. “Respect,” in 300 years. “Now, we may all be dead from global warming, but if we’re around, my belief is they’ll be playing ‘Respect’ 300 years from now,” said Smith during the court trial.

On the flip side of the argument, Ted White II’s attorney, Kurt Olson, argued that the 2010 will should be considered Franklin’s true ‘intention’ because it was found in a cabinet where she kept “important documents.” In the 2010 draft of Aretha’s will, Ted was listed as the executor of her estate.

Ultimately, the jury sided with the 2014 will.

After Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018 from pancreatic cancer, it was heartbreaking to see her sons having to duke it out in court. The possible upside to this for their family is that the legal battle is now over, and hopefully all four siblings will eventually move toward a brotherly bond again. Wishing them the best going forward.

Source1; Source2

The post Family’s Battle Over Aretha’s Handwritten Will Finally Over, One Son Loses Big Time appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Late music icons, Aretha Franklin and Luther Vandross, reportedly couldn’t stand each other at one point. They were both dominant, alpha personalities back in the day…who had reputations for telling it like it is at the drop of a dime. That’s exactly what happened when they worked on Aretha’s album, “Get It Right,” together…and as most probably would have predicted, their studio session blew up like a spontaneous combustion.

THE SHOUTING MATCH

Aretha and Luther eventually became pretty good friends, but not before the drama that Aretha said occurred, causing Aretha to grab her fur coat and diva-sashay her way up outta their studio session. Aretha revealed this in her autobiography, “Aretha: From These Roots”:

Aretha wrote, “All of a sudden Luther wanted to tell me how to sing, when it was me whom he had learned much about how to sing. My point was simple: If he wanted to tell the artists how to sing, why didn’t he sing it himself? His job was to produce and advise the artists about phrasing, diction, melody, and to be adventurous and say certain things, but definitely not say, ‘Sing it like this.'”

After their argument got a lil’ heated — because neither Aretha, nor Luther were backing down — Aretha left:

“I picked up my coat and walked out of the studio as he and I continued shouting at each other,” Aretha wrote.

See what Aretha later told Jet Magazine about she and Luther’s relationship below…

RESPECT AND SHADE AT THE SAME TIME

In a past interview with Jet Magazine, Aretha expanded on what she wrote about Luther in her book:

“When I say this, I say it with respect and I say it in a positive vein. Luther and I really do like each other. We have a lot of mutual respect for each other. Even when we are not talking, we are still cool. I guess you could call it Aries butting heads, because he’s an Aries too. We are very opinionated people.”

She then threw a lil’ shade at the brotha:

“He [Luther] was lying at the base of his radio listening to me. I wasn’t lying there listening to him (laughs).”

So, in other words…Aretha felt like Luther was a youngin’ to the music game in the early ’80s, and she was the pro (although Luther had several hits at that time)…and that he should have respected the hierarchy. However, Luther was not one to bow down. The “Get It Right” album was actually Luther’s second time working with Franklin after producing her prior hit “Jump To It.” Word on the Old School curb is that everything was all good between them on the first go ’round, but that when they got in the studio for their second collabo,’ Aretha demanded that he call her ‘Ms. Franklin,’ while she only called him ‘Vandross.’ She also allegedly had an diva-ish attitude with him, and that’s when everything reportedly went downhill…because Luther wasn’t having that.

DailyMail once quoted Luther as stating, “The Aretha I had heard throughout my entire childhood on the radio — warm and down-home — wasn’t the Aretha I heard on the phone.”

Through it all, Aretha and Luther made nice with each other and recorded her song, which became a hit. They also eventually became great friends up until the time of Luther’s death. Presumably, the way they managed their friendship was by giving each other space, because just like Aretha said — they’re two of a kind and were liable to butt heads at any given moment.

The post Aretha Franklin Once Detailed Heated Incident That Made Her Go Off On Luther Vandross appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Before Aretha Franklin’s passing in 2018, there were allegations that she and Patti LaBelle were at odds. Both singers denied that they had any problems. However, there was always this elephant in the room. To put those rumors to bed, Patti LaBelle made it a point to pay homage to the queen when she died.

Patti LaBelle Sings “You Are My Friend” For Aretha Franklin:

While both ladies denied their alleged beef, there were often rumors that the two divas were at odds. For instance, back in 2014, Aretha Franklin appeared to snub LaBelle at the “Women of Soul” concert at the White House, by refusing to shake LaBelle’s hand when she offered it. Then, when Patti was asked about the incident on “Watch What Happens Live,” she denied that it was her – stating that the lady in the green jacket was unknown!

“I don’t know who the lady was,” LaBelle told Andy Cohen. “I just know she had on a green coat.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-mtlGyS4r0 Always maintaining that they were good, it appeared as if their beef resurfaced after Aretha Franklin announced, in 2016, that she was launching her own food line – following the success of LaBelle’s sold-out sweet potato pies at Walmart.

“Ms. Patti’s gonna have to move that pie to the side!” Aretha Franklin stated.

For years, many people believed that there was this feud between Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. While she was the “queen of soul,” our beloved Aretha was also known as the “queen of shade.” We love her, but c’mon now, let’s not act like we don’t remember how Ms. Franklin he was known for trading her not-so-subliminal, yet entertaining shade with Patti (and others) over the years. However, when Aretha passed away from a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Patti took to Twitter to let everyone know that there was love between the two of them. http://gty.im/115346541 Despite their alleged rivalry, Patti claimed she had no beef with any industry ladies and she cleared up any rumors of animosity with her endearing post to the Queen:

“I am deeply saddened about the passing of the Queen of Soul and my sister in song, Aretha Franklin. Today the world has experienced a tremendous loss. Aretha was a rare treasure whose unmatched musical genius helped craft the soundtrack to the lives of so many… My sympathy, love and prayers go out to her family, loved ones and fans around the globe.”

Rest in peace Aretha. ❤ pic.twitter.com/QT7HeY5SIf

— Patti LaBelle (@MsPattiPatti) August 16, 2018

Aretha Franklin Requested Patti Sing At Her Memorial:

Patti LaBelle stopped by “Good Morning America” on Monday, to discuss her then-new role on “Greenleaf,” and she also paid respects to her dear friend, Aretha Franklin. In speaking with Robin Roberts, Patti shared that Aretha was one of her better friends in life. Patti referred to Franklin as a hero and stated that she was the best singer of all time.

Known as the “Godmother of Soul,” Patti sang one of her all time favorite songs during her concert at The Dell Music Center in Philadelphia. The song was pre-recorded to play at Aretha’s funeral because Patti was already booked at that time. With Aretha Franklin’s accomplishments playing in the background, Patti brought the house down, while everyone took a moment to remember the queen.

What many people may not know is that LaBelle was reportedly the first person that Franklin requested to perform at her memorial service, according to Franklin’s family members. Both Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin are true class acts that we should forever cherish.

The post Despite Alleged Feud, Aretha Made Touching Request Of Patti LaBelle On Her Death Bed appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Aretha Franklin’s grandbaby has musical genes running all through her DNA. But was it enough to impress “American Idol” judges, Lionel Richie, Katie Perry, and Luke Bryan? Welp, let’s see *Video is below*…

Initially, Judges Were Surprised

When 15-year old Grace Franklin — daughter of Kecalf Cunningham, Aretha Franklin’s son — stepped out in front of the “American Idol” panel Sunday, February 27, 2022, it was an all-or-nothin’ kinda moment. She surprised the judges when she disclosed her musical royalty lineage:

“My grandma is Aretha Franklin. … I was really close with my grandma. I got to see her all the time. I used to travel with her a lot,” Grace said about Aretha Franklin. “I don’t think I could fully grasp the fact that she was known worldwide, because to me she was always just ‘Grandma.'”

Grace continued:

“I feel like people expect me to sing exactly like her, but I am my own artist and I have my own voice,” Grace confessed.

Before getting down to business, Lionel Richie shared a few personal stories with Grace about her grandmother:

“Stop right there! That’s your grandma!?”, Richie asked Grace. “No one knows this about your grandma but I’m going to tell you. When you were walking in the house, you think, ‘Oh we gonna talk about music, are we gonna talk about the arrangement?’ And she goes, ‘Lionel, I’ve got some collard greens I’ve made.'”

Richie continued:

“You are from a blessed family. I have many messages on my answering machine [from Aretha] that I kept.”

While Katie Perry wanted to know if it was true that the Queen of Soul “kept a little pistol in her purse,” referring to a long-standing rumor about Aretha. Grace told her that wasn’t true, and that her grandmom kept all “the money” in her purse and kept it with her at all times.

Not All Of The Judges’ Were Impressed By Her Performance

Then the pressure was on for Grace to hold her own…just like her iconic grandmother could. She sang Lauryn Hill’s version of “Killing Me Softly.” Luke Bryan said her performance – though on key – was “sleepy and subdued.”

That’s when Perry asked Grace to sing another song. So Grace chose her grandmom’s song, “Ain’t No Way,” which was a better delivery and display of her vocals, but still…Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were unmoved.

Bryan felt that Grace needed to “add command” to her performance, and therefore voted “No.” Perry completely disagreed with Bryan, telling Grace, “I think you have stardust and sparkle all over you. You are beautiful, and if you’ll trust us, if you’ll listen to us, if you’ll put in the work, I think we can find that next level with you.”

When it came time for Lionel Richie to cast his vote, it was evident that he wasn’t really feelin’ Grace’s performance either. Richie suggested to Grace that she do a little fine tuning on her performance and re-try-out next year:

“I think the best thing for you in life is to take a shot at going backwards. Go back and get a running start and come back at this again,” Richie said.

Katie Perry then got a lil’ frustrated with Richie and Bryan, urging them to give Grace “a shot”:

“Give her a shot, give her a chance!” Perry snapped at Richie. “I’m sure Aretha wasn’t Aretha when she walked into the room, but somebody said, ‘Yes, I want to work with you. I want to develop you.'”

Before briefly walking off the set, Perry continued:

“I will lay down on the ground. I quit this show. I’m going to the bar.”

Ultimately, Grace didn’t make it through to the next round of auditions. However, afterwards, Lionel Richie displayed the same level of compassion he’s oftentimes shown contestants on the show. He walked over to Grace and gave her a hug, while simultaneously encouraging her to try out for “American Idol” next year.

Watch Grace Franklin’s American Idol” Audition

At 15 just years old, Grace Franklin has a lot of room for growth — learning to build her stage presence and vocal delivery. Something tells us Queen Franklin’s grandbaby has that fighter spirit, just like her grandmother. So we’ll likely be hearing much more from this brave young queen in the near future.

Source1; Source2

The post Aretha Franklin’s Grandchild’s “American Idol” Audition Caused Tension Amongst The Judges appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Some people may be surprised to know that the late Aretha Franklin was once married to legendary actor, Glynn Turman. Franklin and Turman, who did not have children together, married in 1978, separated in 1982, and divorced in 1984.

We, Old Schoolers, know Turman for his role as “Leroy ‘Preach’ Jackson,” in the 1975 classic, Cooley High; or for playing the role of math professor and retired Army colonel, “Bradford Taylor,” on the NBC sitcom, A Different World. Turman is also known for his roles as “Lew” on the prime-time soap opera Peyton Place. In speaking with People magazine, Glynn Turman opened up about his final moments with the former love of his life, Aretha Franklin.

Glynn Turman Was Able To Get Closure With His Ex-Wife, Aretha Franklin:

As news spread that the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was gravely ill, people all over the world began to pray. Not only was Franklin surrounded by her family members at that time, she was visited by famous friends like Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson, and her second husband, Glynn Turman.

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Glynn Turman And Aretha Franklin Were Married For 6 Years:

In exclusively speaking to People, Glynn Turman opened up about his fond memories with Aretha Franklin. While we knew the Queen as a woman with a beautiful voice, Turman knew her as a beautiful woman who was a wife, mother, and one of his best friends. Despite the fact that they were divorced, Turman shared that they remained friends who spoke over the years. Turman jokingly shared that Franklin was stubborn and she was fighting for her life up to the very end.

“I felt her pulse holding her frail, frail arm,” [Glynn Turman] stated about his final moments with Franklin, whom he called the “love of my life.” I was able to feel her pulse, which was strong. So she was fighting ’til the very end, he stated of the star, who died of pancreatic cancer at age 76. She’s always been a warrior — a strong, strong woman and a fighter. Her pulse told me that she was not in surrender mode. She was going to fight it ’til the end.”

While Aretha Franklin was unable to speak during their visit, Turman shared that she was conscious and aware of his presence. It was a beautiful moment as it provided closure for the former Hollywood couple.

“She did know that I was there,” Turman said. “And we were able to feed off of that recognition, feed off of the moment of both sort of realizing that time was extremely precious at this time. So it was a moment full of closure.”

It’s unclear why the couple chose to divorce, but they truly loved each other. Turman shared that he reflected on the good times with Franklin, as there were many.

“The good times were wonderful. The things we were able to share, things we were able to do together, the concerts that we were able to share,” Turman recalled. “People think of her often as an iconic singer, an iconic performer, but they don’t necessarily remember that she was a mother and a wife and someone’s lover,” he added. “There was that part that I’m glad I got to know about.”

Turman shared that he loved Franklin’s fighting spirit, her great sense of humor, as well as her independence. She was called the Queen for a reason…Aretha Franklin was not one to conform.

“She was hilarious,” Turman shared. She had a roster of jokes and could make funny situations out of situations that you wouldn’t think … were funny. At the same time, Franklin was “stubborn, stubborn as hell,” he added. “Women’s Rights Movement should have her name written all over. She just didn’t take tea for the fever, as the old folks would say. She was stubborn and hard to persuade. When she got her mind made up on something, you might as well pretty much forget trying to change it.”

Thankful for their time together, Turman shared that Aretha Franklin died knowing that she was loved by him and by the world.

The post Aretha Franklin’s Ex-Husband, Glynn Turman, Shared Their Emotional Last Visit Before Her Death appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Aretha Franklin and her devoted life partner, Willie Wilkerson (pictured below), never married … but were in a relationship for 30 years. For many years not much was known about Willie, nor why they never decided to tie the knot, but we’ve now found out quite a few interesting tidbits of info about our man, Willie, and why Aretha never said “I do” to him. Below are a few fun facts about the brotha, enjoy…

He Was A Huge Fan First

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Aretha met Willie Wilkerson, a retired firefighter, during her autograph signing in her hometown of Detroit, MI in the ’80s:

Via Heavy: Wilkerson asked Franklin to sign the cast on his broken leg, and the two got to talking. They exchanged information and ended up become great friends. It didn’t take long for their friendship to progress, however. Franklin referred to her and Wilkerson as a “a fiery match” and said that they were “very compatible.”

Aretha Explained Why She Called Off Engagement To Willie

In 2012, Willie and Aretha already had several decades of dating each other under their belts, so they’d originally felt that it was about that time for them to jump the broom together.

People Magazine reported, in 2012, that a rep for Aretha had confirmed the lovebirds were planning a wedding
and that Aretha had finally accepted Willie’s marriage proposal. Shorty after that confirmation, Aretha also stated, to People directly, that they were well on there way with the wedding preparations:

“We’re looking at June or July for our date and no, I’m not pregnant, LOL,” Aretha jokingly stated.

Everything seemed blissful and according to what Aretha’s rep also told the publication, Re-Re already had plans on a few designers she was gonna consult with, regarding the making of her wedding gown and the whole sha-bang. She’d narrowed her list down to designers, Donna Karan, Valentino, and Vera Wang.

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Essence Magazine also reported at that time, that Aretha and Willie were planning on getting married in Miami. Afterwards, the couple reportedly planned to get their party on all night long, like Lionel Richie, with family and friends “aboard a private yacht.”

In spite of all of the excitement surrounding their wedding plans, just a few weeks after their public announcement, everything came to a screeching halt, when they suddenly called off the wedding. Aretha gave a public statement, explaining why they didn’t go through with the plans. Even though by 2012, they’d been dating for well over two decades, Aretha felt they were still “moving too fast.” Here’s her statement:

“Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast, and there were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly. There will be no wedding at this time. We will not comment on it any further because of the very personal and sensitive nature of it. We appreciate all of the many well wishes from friends.”

Soon after the wedding cancellation, all sorts of rumors were swirling through the industry about their relationship, but Queen ReRe and Willie proved their union to be rock solid and were together until her dying day.

Not The Their 1st Time

Speaking of wedding cancellations however, word on the Old School curb is that this was not their first dance at that disco. According to New York Daily News, Willie and Aretha were engaged in 1987, but they called that one off as well.

Even though they never made that march down the aisle, one thing is certain: they loved each other to the core. Continue to rest well Queen of Soul.

The post Aretha’s Fan Became Her Man For 30 Years, But She Boldy Shared Why She Never Married Him appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Late music icons, Aretha Franklin and Luther Vandross, reportedly couldn’t stand each other at one point. They were both dominant, alpha personalities back in the day…who had reputations for telling it like it is at the drop of a dime. That’s exactly what happened when they worked on Aretha’s album, “Get It Right,” together…and as most probably would have predicted, their studio session blew up like a spontaneous combustion.

THE SHOUTING MATCH

Aretha and Luther eventually became pretty good friends, but not before the drama that Aretha said occurred, causing Aretha to grab her fur coat and diva-sashay her way up outta their studio session. Aretha revealed this in her autobiography, “Aretha: From These Roots”:

Aretha wrote, “All of a sudden Luther wanted to tell me how to sing, when it was me whom he had learned much about how to sing. My point was simple: If he wanted to tell the artists how to sing, why didn’t he sing it himself? His job was to produce and advise the artists about phrasing, diction, melody, and to be adventurous and say certain things, but definitely not say, ‘Sing it like this.'”

After their argument got a lil’ heated — because neither Aretha, nor Luther were backing down — Aretha left:

“I picked up my coat and walked out of the studio as he and I continued shouting at each other,” Aretha wrote.

See what Aretha later told Jet Magazine about she and Luther’s relationship below…

RESPECT AND SHADE AT THE SAME TIME

In a past interview with Jet Magazine, Aretha expanded on what she wrote about Luther in her book:

“When I say this, I say it with respect and I say it in a positive vein. Luther and I really do like each other. We have a lot of mutual respect for each other. Even when we are not talking, we are still cool. I guess you could call it Aries butting heads, because he’s an Aries too. We are very opinionated people.”

She then threw a lil’ shade at the brotha:

“He [Luther] was lying at the base of his radio listening to me. I wasn’t lying there listening to him (laughs).”

So, in other words…Aretha felt like Luther was a youngin’ to the music game in the early ’80s, and she was the pro (although Luther had several hits at that time)…and that he should have respected the hierarchy. However, Luther was not one to bow down. The “Get It Right” album was actually Luther’s second time working with Franklin after producing her prior hit “Jump To It.” Word on the Old School curb is that everything was all good between them on the first go ’round, but that when they got in the studio for their second collabo,’ Aretha demanded that he call her ‘Ms. Franklin,’ while she only called him ‘Vandross.’ She also allegedly had an diva-ish attitude with him, and that’s when everything reportedly went downhill…because Luther wasn’t having that.

DailyMail once quoted Luther as stating, “The Aretha I had heard throughout my entire childhood on the radio — warm and down-home — wasn’t the Aretha I heard on the phone.”

Through it all, Aretha and Luther made nice with each other and recorded her song, which became a hit. They also eventually became great friends up until the time of Luther’s death. Presumably, the way they managed their friendship was by giving each other space, because just like Aretha said — they’re two of a kind and were liable to butt heads at any given moment.

The post Aretha Franklin Once Shared Heated Incident That Caused Her To Go Off On Luther Vandross appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Before Aretha Franklin’s passing in 2018, there was this alleged rumor that she and Patti LaBelle were at odds. Both singers denied that they had any problems. However, there was always this elephant in the room. To put those rumors to bed, Patti LaBelle made it a point to pay homage to the queen when she died.

Patti LaBelle Sings “You Are My Friend” For Aretha Franklin:

While both ladies denied their alleged beef, there were often rumors that the two divas were at odds. For instance, back in 2014, Aretha Franklin appeared to snub LaBelle at the “Women of Soul” concert at the White House, by refusing to shake LaBelle’s hand when she offered it. Then, when Patti was asked about the incident on “Watch What Happens Live,” she denied that it was her – stating that the lady in the green jacket was unknown!

“I don’t know who the lady was,” LaBelle told Andy Cohen. “I just know she had on a green coat.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-mtlGyS4r0 Always maintaining that they were good, it appeared as if their beef resurfaced after Aretha Franklin announced, in 2016, that she was launching her own food line – following the success of LaBelle’s sold-out sweet potato pies at Walmart.

“Ms. Patti’s gonna have to move that pie to the side!” Aretha Franklin stated.

For years, many people believed that there was this feud between Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. While she was the “queen of soul,” our beloved Aretha was also known as the “queen of shade.” We love her, but c’mon now, let’s not act like we don’t remember how Ms. Franklin he was known for trading her not-so-subliminal, yet entertaining shade with Patti (and others) over the years. However, when Aretha passed away from a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Patti took to Twitter to let everyone know that there was love between the two of them. http://gty.im/115346541 Despite their alleged rivalry, Patti claimed she had no beef with any industry ladies and she cleared up any rumors of animosity with her endearing post to the Queen:

“I am deeply saddened about the passing of the Queen of Soul and my sister in song, Aretha Franklin. Today the world has experienced a tremendous loss. Aretha was a rare treasure whose unmatched musical genius helped craft the soundtrack to the lives of so many… My sympathy, love and prayers go out to her family, loved ones and fans around the globe.”

Rest in peace Aretha. ❤ pic.twitter.com/QT7HeY5SIf

— Patti LaBelle (@MsPattiPatti) August 16, 2018

Aretha Franklin Requested Patti Sing At Her Memorial:

Patti LaBelle stopped by “Good Morning America” on Monday, to discuss her then-new role on “Greenleaf,” and she also paid respects to her dear friend, Aretha Franklin. In speaking with Robin Roberts, Patti shared that Aretha was one of her better friends in life. Patti referred to Franklin as a hero and stated that she was the best singer of all time.

Known as the “Godmother of Soul,” Patti sang one of her all time favorite songs during her concert at The Dell Music Center in Philadelphia. The song was pre-recorded to play at Aretha’s funeral because Patti was already booked at that time. With Aretha Franklin’s accomplishments playing in the background, Patti brought the house down, while everyone took a moment to remember the queen.

What many people may not know is that LaBelle was reportedly the first person that Franklin requested to perform at her memorial service, according to Franklin’s family members. Both Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin are true class acts that we should forever cherish.

The post Despite Alleged Feud, Aretha Made Touching Request Of Patti LaBelle On Her Death Bed appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Ever since the passing of our beloved Aretha Franklin in 2018, many interesting details surfaced, or resurfaced about her family. This go ’round, the topic of her famous pops, Rev. C.L. Franklin — and what Ray Charles once revealed about him — will probably make you say, “Say what now?!! Come again?” At least that’s what it did to us.

Anywho, Ray Charles once exposed shocking details of the wild sex parties Rev. Franklin (pictured below with Aretha) reportedly had with his fellow church folk. Don’t take our word for it though, see what Mr. Charles revealed in a biographical book…

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Ray Charles Spilled The Beans About Aretha’s Dad

In an interview for the biography, “Respect: The Life Of Aretha Franklin,” Ray Charles chopped it up with the book’s author, David Ritz, about his days hanging out with his friend, C.L. Franklin.

Aretha’s dad was a well respected preacher, who rubbed elbows with soul artists- like Ray Charles, Billy Preston and several Motown stars- as well as civil rights activists and spiritual leaders- including Dr, Martin Luther King, with whom he was great friends . Many stars oftentimes visited C.L.’s Detroit home and along the way, the reverend developed a reputation for being the ‘promiscuous preacher’ who reportedly cheated on his wife (Aretha’s mother) many times.

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Back then, Ray Charles was known for being a wild cat who had plenty of women, but he admitted that even he was outdone by the alleged sex parties C.L. and his church members threw. According to the biography, Charles says that when he visited C.L.’s New Bethel Church in the after-hours, he realized the church was pretty much a worshipping spot by day, but a haven for sex orgies by night:

“When it came to pure heart singing, they were motherfu***s. When it came to pure sex, they were wilder than me – and that’s saying something. In those days I had a thing for orgies, but I had to be the only cat in the room with two or three chicks.”

“The gospel people didn’t think that way,” Charles continued. “The cats liked it with the cats and the chicks liked it with the chicks and no one minded mixing it up this way or that. I got a kick outta seeing how God’s people were going for it hard and heavy every which way. I was just surprised to see how loose they were.”

Singer, Billy Preston, Agreed With Ray

“Nothing From Nothing” soul singer, Billy Preston, also backed Ray’s claims in the book. Preston was cool with C.L. Franklin back then and here’s what he told Ritz about those days:

“It was the church crowd where the vibe was wide open. It was anything goes. In the community outside the church, gay men were called sissies. But inside the church, a lot of the music was created by gay men. In the church you were almost proud to be part of the gay elite of musicians.” -Billy Preston

Franklin Family Controversies

There have always been controversies surrounding C.L. Franklin. Aretha joined her father’s traveling gospel ministry at age 12. However, according to what her brother, Cecil,  all of his siblings – including Aretha – were exposed to some form of drinking and/or drug activity while living with their father, who raised them as a single parent after their mom left him:

Via Daily Mail: [Cecil] admitted that his father [C.L. Franklin] and siblings had all operated in a world of stimulants. “Whether it’s wine, whiskey or weed, the stuff has always been around us.”

Throughout the years, many have wondered if Aretha’s past issues with men- such as having a baby at 12 and another at 14 years old, abusive relationships, and more- were the result of the fast life she witnessed under the helm of her famous pops. That’s a valid assumption, but one thing is for certain: throughout it all, Aretha found a way to reach a level of greatness that very few get to see in their lifetimes. Her life story, and that of her renowned Father, are reminders that celebrities aren’t perfect people…they’re simply perfectly flawed human beings, just like the rest of us.

The post Ray Charles Exposed What Aretha’s Preacher-Dad Reportedly Did At Secret ‘Wild Parties’ appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Before Aretha Franklin’s passing in 2018, there was this alleged rumor that she and Patti LaBelle were at odds. Both singers denied that they had any problems. However, there was always this elephant in the room. To put those rumors to bed, Patti LaBelle made it a point to pay homage to the queen when she died.

Patti LaBelle Sings “You Are My Friend” For Aretha Franklin:

While both ladies denied their alleged beef, there were often rumors that the two divas were at odds. For instance, back in 2014, Aretha Franklin appeared to snub LaBelle at the “Women of Soul” concert at the White House, by refusing to shake LaBelle’s hand when she offered it. Then, when Patti was asked about the incident on “Watch What Happens Live,” she denied that it was her – stating that the lady in the green jacket was unknown!

“I don’t know who the lady was,” LaBelle told Andy Cohen. “I just know she had on a green coat.”

Always maintaining that they were good, it appeared as if their beef resurfaced after Aretha Franklin announced, in 2016, that she was launching her own food line – following the success of LaBelle’s sold-out sweet potato pies at Walmart.

“Ms. Patti’s gonna have to move that pie to the side!” Aretha Franklin stated.

For years, many people believed that there was this feud between Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. While she was the “queen of soul,” our beloved Aretha was also known as the “queen of shade.” We love her, but c’mon now, let’s not act like we don’t remember how Ms. Franklin he was known for trading her not-so-subliminal, yet entertaining shade with Patti (and others) over the years. However, when Aretha passed away from a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Patti took to Twitter to let everyone know that there was love between the two of them.

Embed from Getty Images

Despite their alleged rivalry, Patti claimed she had no beef with any industry ladies and she cleared up any rumors of animosity with her endearing post to the Queen:

“I am deeply saddened about the passing of the Queen of Soul and my sister in song, Aretha Franklin. Today the world has experienced a tremendous loss. Aretha was a rare treasure whose unmatched musical genius helped craft the soundtrack to the lives of so many… My sympathy, love and prayers go out to her family, loved ones and fans around the globe.”

Rest in peace Aretha. ❤ pic.twitter.com/QT7HeY5SIf

— Patti LaBelle (@MsPattiPatti) August 16, 2018

Aretha Franklin Requested Patti Sing At Her Memorial:

Patti LaBelle stopped by “Good Morning America” on Monday, to discuss her then-new role on “Greenleaf,” and she also paid respects to her dear friend, Aretha Franklin. In speaking with Robin Roberts, Patti shared that Aretha was one of her better friends in life. Patti referred to Franklin as a hero and stated that she was the best singer of all time.

Known as the “Godmother of Soul,” Patti sung one of her all time favorite songs during her concert at The Dell Music Center in Philadelphia. The song was taped to play at Aretha’s funeral because Patti is already booked. With Aretha Franklin’s accomplishments playing in the background, Patti brought the house down, while everyone took a moment to remember the queen. What many people may not know is that LaBelle was reportedly the first person that Franklin requested to perform at her memorial service, according to Franklin’s family members.

Both Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin are true class acts that we should forever cherish.

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