@ 2024 Advocate Channel.
All Rights reserved

Remembering Aretha Franklin, Who Passed Away Three Years Ago Today

Aretha Franklin

Today, we celebrate the life of Aretha Franklin, who passed away on August 16th 2018.


This past weekend, the film Respect hit theaters. Respect is a biopic that chronicles the life of the Queen of Soul. It's only fitting that this the film was released around the three year anniversary of her death. In Respect, Jennifer Hudson portrays the legendary singer, and her performance has been met with critical acclaim. Today, Hudson shared a 2016 clip of Franklin singing and playing the piano to Twitter:

Franklin’s legacy certainly does live on in musicians like Hudson herself. Other musicians who have cited Franklin as an inspiration include Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Amy Winehouse. Blige happens to be one of Hudson’s co-stars in Respect; ironically, Blige portrays Dinah Washington who was one of Aretha Franklin’s biggest inspirations.Blige told Oprah:

"When I first heard that it was Jennifer [playing Aretha], I was happy because that's a no-brainer. Jennifer is an amazing singer. She has that thing in her voice like Aretha has in her voice. She could sing anything."

Not only did Hudson get the seal of approval from Blige, but one of Franklin’s dearest friends, Smokey Robinson took to Twitter to praise Hudson’s performance:

Robinson shared a photo of him and Hudson along with the sentiment that she made Franklin proud. Robinson and Franklin were not only good friends, but they were also contemporaries. The two were both inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year, 1987. Franklin was the first female inductee.

As an 18-time-Grammy-award-winner, one of which being a lifetime achievement award, Aretha Franklin is widely regarded as one of the best singers of all time. May she Rest In Peace.

Respect is in theaters now.

From our sponsors

From our partners

Top Stories

John Sileo

John is a Communications student at Marist College, with concentrations in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Theatre.

John is a Communications student at Marist College, with concentrations in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Theatre.