Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to a gospel singer and church preacher. She joined the church choir, and later went out to a traveling gospel show with her father. She was not satisfied with that and moved to New York, where she won a contract with a record company.Aretha’s soulful songs conquered the hymn parades and earned her the title "Queen of Soul". She joined Martin Luther King, the leader of the civil rights movement in the United States, and became a symbol of black power. She was the first woman to be admitted to the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" museum, and appeared at the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. In 2008, Aretha won eighteen Grammy Awards, thus becoming one of the most decorated female artists in history, an object of respect and admiration worldwide.
