This month is Women's History Month and I should done this on my first post but I did not. Forgive me for that. I am now going to dedicate some great female artists of the whole world to the history month.
If there is one artist that is so legenedary but has not exactly got her dues is no other than Aretha Franklin. Many people seem to think that Aretha Franklin is overrated because her song RESPECT gets played way too much. Well I make my view on the Queen of Soul.
Actually Aretha Franklin is somewhat underrated artist. Here is why. If you see, many people consider other female artists as pioneers but refuse to make Aretha Franklin as a pioneer. If you ask most people, if they knew a old artist who they do they know? The answers are often Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Janis Joplin, and the likes of them but it is extremely rare for people to mention Aretha Franklin as a pioneer of music of females (That is unless you refer to the black community who dig soul music a lot). Why do you ask? Well it is not that complicated. Not many people get why Aretha is so legendary. Many people seem to believe that she is a major one hit wonder probably because of the overuse of her great song RESPECT. But Respect is not just another song. It has a message which was that a woman like her deserve repsect for being a woman. At that time during the late 1960s, women were being discriminated and were not allowed to do anything. Thank Jesus that has changed. As one person said, "It is a man's world, It is a man's world. But it would be nothing without a woman". Let me put in French and Lingala, "Ezali la monde du l'homme, Ezali la monde du l'homme. Mais Il ne serait rien sans l'femme." That is true whether brainless man get it or not.
Respect was a Aretha song that pretty much played a factor in getting women being able to work and do stuff for a living not just a man. Aretha Franklin made many great songs especially the song Chain of Fools which I already talked about here (Aretha Franklin Classic Song). The song showed Aretha Franklin's great ability ro sing well and do other ways to make her singing as perffect as possible. This is no wonder Aretha had a great voice then. But Aretha sadly suffered from the same issues. I mean labels who are evil. She fell out with Atlantic Records in 1973 which led to her major decline during the 1970s. Changes also occured. Female facts like LaBelle, Diana Ross, and others were having more success than Aretha Frnaklin. 1980s was Aretha's great decade as she made great songs as well as great albums leading her to promise of continued success. But in 1990s, once again Aretha fell because of age we can presume. This time it was artists like Gloria Estefan, Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Whitney Houston, and soon Celine Dion grew to ruin Aretha's star and she was another artist in the block. But despite Aretha not being Aretha she used to be, she still has a great voice and conintues to perform.
Do not get me wrong, Janis Joplin, Diana Ross, and Patti LaBelle are great artists in their own right and they made an imapct and open doors for female artists but none of them as great as a singer and none are unique as Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. Aretha brought her own sound in the music and it has touched many lives. She really connected with the Civil Rights Movement better than other female artists. Plus this woman's song Respect will never be forgotten for a long time.
My point is that Aretha Franklin needs more respect for her hard work and her years of making songs that were not only relatable but had a great message behind it. Aretha Franklin did everything she could to make great music. People need to get to know Aretha Franklin, you will see how unique she is.
I have the pleasure to show you importance from Soul Train who covers one artist who died too soon. That person is Whitney Houston. She is someone who just brought some great impact to music in general.
Here is the story.
In February 1985, a relatively unknown singer named Whitney Houston made her first and only appearance on Soul Train. Although this was not her first television appearance, it was her first to promote her debut album self-titled “Whitney Houston.”
To complement the stunning blue dress Houston wore, the backdrop and neon Soul Train sign were both lit to fit the mood of the song she was about to perform, the first single release from the album, the soulful ballad ‘You Give Good Love.” Her stage presence and showmanship was that of a seasoned pro in show business. The Soul Train dancers gave her a thunderous ovation when she finished performing. “You Give Good Love” was an instant hit, climbing up to number one on the R&B charts in May 1985 and number two on the pop charts that summer.
Later in the show, Houston performed a track from the album entitled “How Will I Know.” This percolating dance number would not be released as a single until December 1985 but it was a good marketing strategy to show television viewers that Houston was not only capable of doing ballads but dance songs as well. Draped in a sleeveless glittery white jump suit, Houston’s energetic performance won the approval of the Soul Train Dancers who gave her another rousing ovation.
By the time “How Will I Know” was released, reaching number one on both the pop and R&B charts in the winter of 1986, Houston was a bonafide superstar.
Houston did not make any other appearances on Soul Train but she did appear and perform on other Soul Train-related specials.
Houston performed “You Give Good Love” on the inaugural Soul Train Music Awards in March 1987, later performing “That’s What Friends Are For” with Stevie Wonder and hosts Luther Vandross and her cousin, Dionne Warwick.
Houston joined gospel artists BeBe and CeCe Winans on the song “Hold Up the Light” on the third annual Soul Train Music Awards ceremony in April 1989, indicative of Houston’s early roots singing in the church.
At the 7th annual Soul Train Music Awards ceremony in 1993, Houston performed a rousing medley of “Queen of the Night” and “I’m Every Woman,” tunes taken from the soundtrack of her film The Bodyguard.
At the following year’s ceremony, Houston joined husband Bobby Brown on “Something in Common,” a duet track that appeared on Brown’s Bobby album. For this rare performance, Houston looked regal in a matching turban and long evening gown in a blueish-purplish combination.
At the same ceremony, Houston was the female recipient of the prestigious Sammy Davis, Jr. Entertainer of the Year Award. Escorted on stage by Brown, she humbly accepted the award from author Terri McMillan. When receiving her award, Houston said, “Sammy not only achieved the humiliation of discrimination, he endured the insults aimed at him by his own people who blamed him for trying to rise above the ignorance and hatred not through rhetoric but through his work. May who have never experienced racism and discrimination that were part of Mr. Davis’ life think of him as yesterday’s news. But Sammy Davis, Jr. was a giant.” Her speech received a thunderous ovation. In the audience were her mother Cissy Houston and her baby daughter Bobbi Kristina.
In November 1995, Soul Train’s host and creator Don Cornelius produced a television special in honor of the program’s 25 years on television titled Soul Train 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame. The program inducted a number of artists into its hall of fame, all of whom had appeared on the show. Honorees included Patti Labelle, Bill Withers, Diana Ross, Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. (Strangely missing from the list of honorees were James Brown and Aretha Franklin). Houston graciously thanked Cornelius when receiving her award.
In 1998, Houston received the Quincy Jones Career Achievement Award at the Soul Train Music Awards.
At the 1999 Soul Train Music Awards, Houston joined El Debarge, Kenny Lattimore, and Johnny Gill in singing “So Amazing” to Luther Vandross, who was receiving a special honor. At the following year’s ceremony, Houston received the Artist of the Decade award. During her acceptance speech, she sang a heartwarming “happy birthday” to Bobbi Kristina, who was in the audience. That year’s ceremony happened to fall on Bobbi’s birthday. The speech was also memorable by many when she concluded by proclaiming her husband, Bobby Brown, as the “original king of R&B.”
During the same ceremony, Houston presented the Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Female Entertainer of the Year to Mary J. Blige. This would be Houston’s last time appearing on the Soul Train Music Awards and any other Soul Train related program.
Just ten days before Houston passed away, Don Cornelius died in an apparent suicide according to the coroner’s official report. The day Cornelius died, Houston joined many other celebrities in making statements in tribute to him. Her statement was: “I grew up watching ‘Soul Train’ and I was privileged to perform on the show at the beginning of my career and on several more occasions. Don opened the door for many artists. He was a great pioneer.”
Sadly, Houston died a short week later.
When seeing Cornelius interview Houston on her first and only appearance on Soul Train, it is inconceivable that these two icons are gone, both as a result of tragic endings. But nevertheless, Cornelius and Houston’s marks in the entertainment industry are forever cemented. Both of them gave all of their love, peace and soul.
http://soultrain.com/2012/02/24/soul-train-history-book-whitney-houston/
One thing that stands out to me is that two important in black music die on the black history month. It is so ironic to my eyes. It shocks me as we are celebrating Black History month and we have to find out that they are dead at this time.
I am speaking about Soul Train founder Don Cornelius and R&B legend Whitney Houston. They both passed on the black history month. It is so sad because this is time to celebrate not to mourn.
What both happened was that they were in a depressing state and nobody wanted to help either pratically Whitney was known for a drug addiction. Whitney had a great night prior to her death when she drank a lot of champagne with her friends including most notably Kelly Price who says that Whitney made her a star. Don was having major decline health but he never wanted people to know that.
This is got to be something that was totally unexpected. We were expecting to have a good time where Don would continue to live while Whitney Houston would have been on a great comeback. Instead they are both dead and worse they die on the month where their imput is remembered.
RIP to both of these great black brother and sister. I hope they rest in well.
Let me send a picture of Whitney Houston in remembrance
