On Thursday, August 16, the “Queen of Soul,” 76-year-old Aretha Franklin, died at home in her beloved Detroit.
She will be mourned by her millions of fans, including the locals who were lucky enough to witness her powerful voice and commanding stage presence.
The Queen was no stranger to Southwest Ohio. She performed in Dayton at the Lakeview Palladium (late 1960s), Hara Arena (1968), Memorial Hall, the Fraze Pavilion and Wright State University’s Nutter Center. (1)
Her extraordinary performance with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in July 2016 at Riverbend Music Center still resonates on a basic, human level. The event was even covered by Billboard magazine. (2)
It turns out that around that time the music legend started having health issues. But her strong will to perform with an orchestra she loved carried her through. Conductor John Morris Russell recalled the experience: (2)
“She loves our orchestra and really wanted to perform with our band. And lo and behold -- I think it was just a week before she had to cancel something -- but, man, she walked on stage because she believed in our orchestra, she believed in Cincinnati and wanted to perform for all of us, and thank goodness she did.” (2)
Did you ever see Aretha Franklin in concert or have the great fortune to meet her? What is your favorite Aretha song? Share your memories.
MidPointe Library is proud to offer Aretha Franklin’s music on compact disc and on our Hoopla digital media platform. Books and electronic books about the music legend are also available. Go to www.MidPointeLibrary.org. A free MidPointe Library card is required for access.
