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Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin
This "comprehensive and illuminating" biography of the Queen of Soul ( USA Today ) was hailed by Rolling Stone as "a remarkably complex portrait of Aretha Franklin's music and her tumultuous life."
Aretha Franklin began life as the golden daughter of a progressive and promiscuous Baptist preacher. Raised without her mother, she was a gospel prodigy who gave birth to two sons in her teens and left them and her native Detroit for New York, where she struggled to find her true voice. It was not until 1967, when a white Jewish producer insisted she return to her gospel-soul roots, that fame and fortune finally came via "Respect" and a rapidfire string of hits. She continued to evolve for decades, amidst personal tragedy, surprise Grammy performances, and career reinventions.
Again and again, Aretha stubbornly found a way to triumph over troubles, even as they continued to build. Her hold on the crown was tenacious, and in Respect , David Ritz gives us the definitive life of one of the greatest talents in all American culture.
Aretha Franklin began life as the golden daughter of a progressive and promiscuous Baptist preacher. Raised without her mother, she was a gospel prodigy who gave birth to two sons in her teens and left them and her native Detroit for New York, where she struggled to find her true voice. It was not until 1967, when a white Jewish producer insisted she return to her gospel-soul roots, that fame and fortune finally came via "Respect" and a rapidfire string of hits. She continued to evolve for decades, amidst personal tragedy, surprise Grammy performances, and career reinventions.
Again and again, Aretha stubbornly found a way to triumph over troubles, even as they continued to build. Her hold on the crown was tenacious, and in Respect , David Ritz gives us the definitive life of one of the greatest talents in all American culture.
528 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
September 10, 2014
Brace yourself: this is not the fairy tale Aretha wants you to believe. This bold, unapologetic, and fulfilling book tells Aretha's story through all the key people in her life: her 4 siblings and cousin among other family members, record producers and executives, and of course industry peers. Details are not spared, and for a lifetime fan, it was a bitter pill to swallow at times. However, my respect for her never wavered and I listened to more Aretha in the 6 days it took me to get through this book than I think I ever have (and that says a lot for a fan like me). If you read one thing this year, let it be this. David Ritz put his foot in this stellar biography.
March 15, 2019
The "Queen of Soul" is a musical genius with the talents of the elite. No one can come close to her "chops" musical prowess. She has been on the stage for over sixty years going through every genre of music possible. Re-inventing herself time and time again to keep current. Every time the critics think she is an "apple out of season" she proves them wrong. Her personal life has challenges and struggles. But, Aretha keeps the music alive.
The ghost writer for this book David Ritz was not the best writer. The book itself was too long and used more hearsay evidence, not necessary, to document the great achievements of Aretha Finklin. At times, it sounded like a tabloid magazine. This autobiography was not authorized by the singer. David Ritz wrote it from his own view point.
Quote:
"The ablum contains some moving moments, I'll grant you that" said Reverend Cleveland. " I found myself tearing up when Aretha sang those two Clara Ward songs with her sisters and cousin Brenda - 'Jesus Hears Every Prayer' and 'Surely God Is Able.'
The ghost writer for this book David Ritz was not the best writer. The book itself was too long and used more hearsay evidence, not necessary, to document the great achievements of Aretha Finklin. At times, it sounded like a tabloid magazine. This autobiography was not authorized by the singer. David Ritz wrote it from his own view point.
Quote:
"The ablum contains some moving moments, I'll grant you that" said Reverend Cleveland. " I found myself tearing up when Aretha sang those two Clara Ward songs with her sisters and cousin Brenda - 'Jesus Hears Every Prayer' and 'Surely God Is Able.'
August 17, 2018
Reread: August 15th -August 17, 2018
RIP QUEEN OF SOUL, ARETHA LOUISE FRANKLIN!
RESPECT!
This was the second book that David Ritz had written about Aretha Franklin and Franklin called it trash and garbage although it fared better than the first book entitled, "Aretha: From the Roots" where David Ritz was her ghostwriter.
That said, Aretha was a consummated singer who could feel threatened by some, yet loved working with younger singer if they knew their place. She was 'the queen' and she let everyone know it and wanted to keep that title. Her life was private but this book gave TMI against her liking! To me, it was what it was because David Ritz interviewed family and friends to set the record straight on the life and times of THE QUEEN OF SOUL, MS. ARETHA FRANKLIN!
"Resisting self-reflection about giving birth twice before turning 15, Aretha spoke instead of the Golden Age of Gospel that shaped her sound. We sat beneath an enormous oil painting of her dad in his prime — a handsome man with slicked-back hair and scholarly glasses — and listened to the songs of his lover, Clara Ward, Aretha’s idol. Aretha had unfaltering recall of Clara’s brilliant array of robes and hairstyles."
"Just as she avoided detailing her private struggles, she refused to document her heroic health battle. She stayed firm; she stayed positive; one day she would be healed completely; one day she would open a fashion boutique and a downtown Detroit nightclub; one day she would produce her biopic, telling her story according to her own lights; one day she would conquer her fear of flying and, once again, take Paris by storm."
"Her reign would never end. The power of her voice would never diminish. The pure joy of her artistry would last forever
And it will."- David Ritz
Until death came on August 16th, 2015 @ 9:50 am
RIP QUEEN OF SOUL, ARETHA LOUISE FRANKLIN!
RESPECT!
This was the second book that David Ritz had written about Aretha Franklin and Franklin called it trash and garbage although it fared better than the first book entitled, "Aretha: From the Roots" where David Ritz was her ghostwriter.
That said, Aretha was a consummated singer who could feel threatened by some, yet loved working with younger singer if they knew their place. She was 'the queen' and she let everyone know it and wanted to keep that title. Her life was private but this book gave TMI against her liking! To me, it was what it was because David Ritz interviewed family and friends to set the record straight on the life and times of THE QUEEN OF SOUL, MS. ARETHA FRANKLIN!
"Resisting self-reflection about giving birth twice before turning 15, Aretha spoke instead of the Golden Age of Gospel that shaped her sound. We sat beneath an enormous oil painting of her dad in his prime — a handsome man with slicked-back hair and scholarly glasses — and listened to the songs of his lover, Clara Ward, Aretha’s idol. Aretha had unfaltering recall of Clara’s brilliant array of robes and hairstyles."
"Just as she avoided detailing her private struggles, she refused to document her heroic health battle. She stayed firm; she stayed positive; one day she would be healed completely; one day she would open a fashion boutique and a downtown Detroit nightclub; one day she would produce her biopic, telling her story according to her own lights; one day she would conquer her fear of flying and, once again, take Paris by storm."
"Her reign would never end. The power of her voice would never diminish. The pure joy of her artistry would last forever
And it will."- David Ritz
Until death came on August 16th, 2015 @ 9:50 am
March 27, 2022
Aretha, queen of soul thats it, pretty much, voyeuristic journey into her life music and times Respect♥
January 19, 2015
I have read Ms. Ms. Franklin's 1999 autobiography "From These Roots" which, in my opinion, was NOT a very good biography...it was more like a work of fiction. I write this because it really did not give me a very good insight about the personal and professional lives of Ms. Franklin beyond what I already knew about her. The autobiography is more of a "fairytale"...it is the story that she wants us to believe about her life. I have also read Mark Bego's biography "The Queen of Soul" which was good. However, I must say that David Ritz's unauthorized biography "Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin" is the BEST book that I have read to date about Ms. Franklin. It is an in-depth book on the her life. It is the book that should have been published in 1999 as an autobiography as it more accurately reflects her life story. Mr. Ritz is a very credible writer who has written several biographies and autobiographies on various celebrities, as well as fiction. While he previously worked with Ms. Franklin in writing her autobiography, she ultimately edited the book very heavily, leaving out a LOT of information which Mr. Ritz has been able to use, in addition to further research on her, to write "Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin". While he did not have Ms. Franklin's blessings in writing this book, he did have the support of her niece Sabrina (her sister Erma's daughter), first cousin Brenda Corbett (who has served as her background singer for two decades) and sister-in-law Earline Franklin (her brother Cecil's wife)--they all agreed with Mr. Ritz that Ms. Franklin's story, beyond the story she wrote about in "From These Roots" needed to be told. And I believe that he has been successful in doing so. However, since the book has been released recently, it has been reported that Ms. Franklin says that this book is "trash" and that she is suing Mr. Ritz. Now I am well aware that Ms. Franklin is a VERY private person...there are just some subjects that she has been known not to discuss publicly (i.e. "Aretha's mother leaving the family, Aretha having two babies while still in her teens, Aretha's being beaten by her first husband, Ted White, Aretha's dad beating his lady friend Clara Ward, the gospel superstar", among other subjects). I can understand this! Mr. Ritz in his biography of Ms. Franklin has shed some light on these matters as well as others which may be VERY upsetting to her. I can understand this too! However, reading this book and learning about Ms. Franklin's successes and failures, highs and lows, both personally and professionally, and her ability to overcome these challenges has made me appreciate her even more, respect her more, not only as an artist, writer, performer, entertainer, but as a mother, daughter, sister, cousin, friend. I have been listening to her music, and watching youtube videos, of her career which spans more than 50 years, while reading this book. Reading and learning more about her I have more compassion and empathy for her, for what she has experienced in her life personally and professionally. She truly is a beautiful, talented, and gifted lady. She is our Queen.
December 5, 2014
Aretha Should Read It
I've heard the stories for years about how difficult Aretha Franklin is known to be -- to fellow performers, making audiences swelter at her shows due to her disdain for air conditioning -- and while I've enjoyed her Atlantic years recordings, her purported attitude always kept me from actually liking HER as a person. Not to mention that about 7 years ago I had the displeasure of encountering The Queen and these old men acting as her footsoldiers at Colony Records in NY when one of her peons tried to tell me where to stand. I had no idea why this old man was in my face and was about to curse him out until I realized that I was getting dangerously close to The Queen as I tried to make my way to the cash register. Who knew? And I was annoyed; if she didn't want to be noticed, then she shouldn't have had on that ridiculous black mink coat in April in NYC. But I digress...
David Ritz has done her a major solid by finally making SENSE of who she is and why she is the way she clearly is. That is the function of a great biographer; to make a reader empathize with the subject, even one we may have had previous unfavorable impressions of. That was brilliantly done here. Now my heart in fact goes out to Aretha Franklin, and understanding the nature of her idiosyncrasies really helps one be able to see past them to take in the full breadth of who she is and what she represents. As an added plus, this was the first book I've read entirely on a Kindle fire, and having Aretha's "Queen of Soul" box set playing on my headphones while reading it was a beautifully immersive experience. I can't wait to experience more music biographies this way.
I understand that Miss Franklin has released statements to the press calling this book a pack of defamatory lies, threatening legal action, etc. I hope she abandons that defensive posture and actually reads this book, and faces what truth lies within. (I acknowledge that there are probably some inaccuracies and one-sided stories, but the majority seems to ring true.) She clearly has issues with denial imperious coldness. Perhaps reading the truth will set her free.
A very enjoyable read. And R-E-S-P-E-C-T to Aretha Franklin.
I've heard the stories for years about how difficult Aretha Franklin is known to be -- to fellow performers, making audiences swelter at her shows due to her disdain for air conditioning -- and while I've enjoyed her Atlantic years recordings, her purported attitude always kept me from actually liking HER as a person. Not to mention that about 7 years ago I had the displeasure of encountering The Queen and these old men acting as her footsoldiers at Colony Records in NY when one of her peons tried to tell me where to stand. I had no idea why this old man was in my face and was about to curse him out until I realized that I was getting dangerously close to The Queen as I tried to make my way to the cash register. Who knew? And I was annoyed; if she didn't want to be noticed, then she shouldn't have had on that ridiculous black mink coat in April in NYC. But I digress...
David Ritz has done her a major solid by finally making SENSE of who she is and why she is the way she clearly is. That is the function of a great biographer; to make a reader empathize with the subject, even one we may have had previous unfavorable impressions of. That was brilliantly done here. Now my heart in fact goes out to Aretha Franklin, and understanding the nature of her idiosyncrasies really helps one be able to see past them to take in the full breadth of who she is and what she represents. As an added plus, this was the first book I've read entirely on a Kindle fire, and having Aretha's "Queen of Soul" box set playing on my headphones while reading it was a beautifully immersive experience. I can't wait to experience more music biographies this way.
I understand that Miss Franklin has released statements to the press calling this book a pack of defamatory lies, threatening legal action, etc. I hope she abandons that defensive posture and actually reads this book, and faces what truth lies within. (I acknowledge that there are probably some inaccuracies and one-sided stories, but the majority seems to ring true.) She clearly has issues with denial imperious coldness. Perhaps reading the truth will set her free.
A very enjoyable read. And R-E-S-P-E-C-T to Aretha Franklin.
November 30, 2019
Reading this book helped me understand more about the complexity of humans. Judgements and superfluous perceptions are passively made about people, especially public figures, who have been forced into the "lime light" at a young age or those who may depend on favoritism as a conduit to financial security. Should surface summations be how we label or characterize evolving people entirely? For example, a person who often lies and steals is usually labeled as such, but what about her other actions, especially things that contribute positively to society? She might be a lying, philanthropic, thief among other things. Furthermore, context illuminates ones character and reveals the individual’s dimensionality. Why has this person committed unsavory or benevolent acts?
Aretha Franklin was scarred by the sudden absentness of her mother but learned to cope with the aid of surrogates who would nurture her and her children. Her personal/professional sphere, rife with social injustice, and abuse by those who were jealous or wanted to possess her completely constituted her determination and steely persona. Spirituality and family offered her a space to be vulnerable and truly loved. Aretha Franklin was an extraordinarily talented woman who, despite the odds, broke barriers (age, race, gender, and genre) and so much more. Her legacy will always reverberate throughout music history.
Aretha Franklin was scarred by the sudden absentness of her mother but learned to cope with the aid of surrogates who would nurture her and her children. Her personal/professional sphere, rife with social injustice, and abuse by those who were jealous or wanted to possess her completely constituted her determination and steely persona. Spirituality and family offered her a space to be vulnerable and truly loved. Aretha Franklin was an extraordinarily talented woman who, despite the odds, broke barriers (age, race, gender, and genre) and so much more. Her legacy will always reverberate throughout music history.
Read
June 8, 2025I hate these parasitic biographies so I don’t know why I bothered starting. I charitably read a few chapters, he made sure to get to the lurid stuff right off the bat, and I decided that I don’t need to know any of this shit.
July 19, 2021
I almost gave it a five. It would have been interesting to learn more about her relationship with her sons, but I felt the author went out of his way to be respectful and avoided certain areas. The fact that he was the ghostwriter for her autobiography had given him access to her and many people in her life. He chose to tell the story, not the fairy tale. He never criticizes her. He reports. He interviews family and people who worked with her. He obviously is an admirer of her talent. Aretha was complicated, confusing, and often chose fantasy over facts when dealing with personal issues and work. This does not diminish her incredible voice. It is sad that her pursuit of fame and money was often more important to her than developing her extraordinary gift for music. No one truly understood her. Everyone was in awe of her voice and piano playing. She was amazing in so many ways--and who doesn't have flaws?
October 14, 2021
Sometimes you just don't need to know the story. Just appreciate the artist. This is a very long read with minute details of every album that she made along with who produced it, who sang on it, who played the instruments and what the mood was. Some details were enjoyable but on the whole it was too much.
December 28, 2014
Aretha Franklin’s brother Cecil describes her in the book: “[Aretha] is not a simple woman. She's a genius, and geniuses are plagued by their talent. Their talent takes over their lives and overwhelms everything else...her genius gave her a sensitivity and vulnerability ordinary people can't understand. She feels too much. She feels too deeply. She can be hurt too easily."
This fascinating book covers the genius and the vulnerability of the Queen of Soul. The genius of her work is wide and deep. The vulnerability, which includes her fears, her tantrums, and her mistakes, are numerous.
Before this book, I was appreciative of Ms. Franklin’s genius, but only superficially. David Ritz, the author, takes you on a deeper tour into her work. I would recommend having a Spotify account nearby. It’s a necessity to jump from recording to recording, as Mr. Ritz describes the origins of these songs. You must listen to “Skylark” as Ritz describes her refined, highly orchestrated, yet underachieving years at Columbia Records. You must listen to the legendary recordings at Atlantic produced by Jerry Wexler (listen “Think”, “Gentle on My Mind”, “When the Battle is Over”). The story of her “Amazing Grace” live recording is fascinating, and a must listen. The story of “Sparkle” - her collaboration with Curtis Mayfield - is amazing. You can also sample the forgettable, synthetic pop songs from her years at Arista Records, as she struggles to stay relevant.
The span of her work is amazing. Her genius label is well earned.
As Ms. Franklin gets older, however, you also see her turn inward. Her paranoia increases. She pushes away producers, managers, and family. She squanders opportunities to maintain quality work. She squanders incredible amounts of money. Her diva reputation expands, as does her weight.
It’s natural to think that we were denied even more genius work as a result of Ms. Franklin's idiosyncrasies. That’s incorrect. Instead, her paranoia comes directly from her vulnerability. And, as Ritz illustrates very well, that vulnerability is the source of all her genius. Without the vulnerability, there is no genius.
This fascinating book covers the genius and the vulnerability of the Queen of Soul. The genius of her work is wide and deep. The vulnerability, which includes her fears, her tantrums, and her mistakes, are numerous.
Before this book, I was appreciative of Ms. Franklin’s genius, but only superficially. David Ritz, the author, takes you on a deeper tour into her work. I would recommend having a Spotify account nearby. It’s a necessity to jump from recording to recording, as Mr. Ritz describes the origins of these songs. You must listen to “Skylark” as Ritz describes her refined, highly orchestrated, yet underachieving years at Columbia Records. You must listen to the legendary recordings at Atlantic produced by Jerry Wexler (listen “Think”, “Gentle on My Mind”, “When the Battle is Over”). The story of her “Amazing Grace” live recording is fascinating, and a must listen. The story of “Sparkle” - her collaboration with Curtis Mayfield - is amazing. You can also sample the forgettable, synthetic pop songs from her years at Arista Records, as she struggles to stay relevant.
The span of her work is amazing. Her genius label is well earned.
As Ms. Franklin gets older, however, you also see her turn inward. Her paranoia increases. She pushes away producers, managers, and family. She squanders opportunities to maintain quality work. She squanders incredible amounts of money. Her diva reputation expands, as does her weight.
It’s natural to think that we were denied even more genius work as a result of Ms. Franklin's idiosyncrasies. That’s incorrect. Instead, her paranoia comes directly from her vulnerability. And, as Ritz illustrates very well, that vulnerability is the source of all her genius. Without the vulnerability, there is no genius.
January 31, 2015
The undisputed Queen! I have enjoyed most of David Ritz's books and this one is no exception. This has to be the definitive biography of Aretha. It's hard to think that anything else could be as comprehensive. Readers should understand that Aretha was not a part of this book. Her and David Ritz collaborated on her autobiography, From These Roots in 1999. So, why the need for another book? David, "but because my ghostly collaboration resulted in in a story I found far-fetched in so many ways, I'm continuing my study. I'm writing the story as I see it." So, basically Aretha was holding back and David felt there was a lot more to her story and wanted her to be more forthcoming.
So this is David's story and Aretha fans may be none too pleased, because this rendering of Aretha includes all her warts, and the thinking is, if Aretha didn't want them exposed, why would David make it his business to do so? "I would not have written this book had I not cowritten hers. I see this second book as a companion piece to the first." As a prolific writer, I personally don't begrudge David Ritz for attempting to fully document an artist who he says he loves. One will have to judge the results for themselves by a careful reading of this biography.
So this is David's story and Aretha fans may be none too pleased, because this rendering of Aretha includes all her warts, and the thinking is, if Aretha didn't want them exposed, why would David make it his business to do so? "I would not have written this book had I not cowritten hers. I see this second book as a companion piece to the first." As a prolific writer, I personally don't begrudge David Ritz for attempting to fully document an artist who he says he loves. One will have to judge the results for themselves by a careful reading of this biography.
October 27, 2018
I don't know how it is possible that the author could make such an interesting person seem so boring. Between the writing and the poor narrator, this book bored me to death.
April 2, 2015
For four decades now, David Ritz has been the go-to biographer for the R+B set. He's written biographies (Marvin Gaye, Jimmy Scott) co-written memoirs with Smokey Robinson, Rick James, Ray Charles, Etta James and Janet Jackson. Shoot, he and T.I. even wrote a couple novels together. But for many years, the fish that got away was Aretha Franklin.
Franklin collaborated with Ritz on 1999's autobiography From These Roots , but for years afterward, Ritz was haunted by both the process and the results. It was impossible to get Aretha to open up and be honest about her career or personal life on an authorized project. Aretha, it seems, has invented an entire world of rosy fiction that makes her look amazing wherever possible and simply clam up or denies anything that suggests otherwise.
Ritz, meanwhile, is deeply entrenched among R+B royalty, living and dead, and has been an obsessive Aretha fan since her early recording days. Not to mention, he made contacts and conducted dozens of interviews for From These Roots that he could never use the first time around. So for 2014's Respect , he went rogue and dug deeper into the Aretha Franklin mythos, without the cooperation of the Queen.
That premise is what made me check out Respect . I read it concurrently with Masters of Doom , a biography of video game pioneers John Carmack and John Romero. With MOD , biographer David Kushner got into all the nooks and crannies of the story without involving himself whatsoever in the narrative. Kushner's non-involvement in his book was just as fascinating as Ritz's involvement in his. They made for a great non-fiction yin and yang.
Back to Aretha - as a protagonist, she is the type who makes you yell at the movie screen: "WHY ARE YOU BOOKING THAT HIGH-PROFILE GIG IN LONDON?! YOU KNOW YOU'RE JUST GONNA CANCEL IT AT THE LAST SECOND BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE! THEY'RE GONNA SUE YOU FOR THAT! STOP BURNING BRIDGES, ARETHA!"
I started reading Respect at the point where she had her big '80s comeback - "Freeway of Love," "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Who's Zoomin' Who." This comeback, it turns out, was a decade in the making. Aretha was madly obsessed with staying relevant and reinventing herself for younger generations, but she was also a control freak without a discerning ear for separating singles from filler. Aretha's peaks are mainly what we remember now, but there were hella valleys.
As the story proceeds through the '90s and the '00s, Aretha keeps making the same mistakes but gets more stubborn in her denial and isolation. I started skipping back a chapter at a time, ending up at Aretha's smash chart re-entry, 1982's "Jump To It," written and produced by Luther Vandross; then ending up at Aretha's involvement in 1980's The Blues Brothers and the film career she almost had. ("YOU'RE SO DEMANDING, ARETHA! AND FLAKY! BRIDGE BURNER! BRIDGE BURRRRNERRR!!"); then ending up at Amazing Grace , her career-peak '70s gospel album.
I confess I didn't read most of what Ritz wrote about the '40s, '50s and '60s, save an early chapter about how the young touring artists on the black gospel circuit in the '50s used to have bisexual orgies together*. Because, wouldn't you read that chapter, too?
In the end, Respect was an enjoyable book for me, but at 529 pages, it was too much information. I think, in general, I prefer to read memoirs of people who are still in their 30s and 40s. This one spans nearly three-fourths of a century. But I'd love to read another David Ritz R+B biography.
Franklin collaborated with Ritz on 1999's autobiography From These Roots , but for years afterward, Ritz was haunted by both the process and the results. It was impossible to get Aretha to open up and be honest about her career or personal life on an authorized project. Aretha, it seems, has invented an entire world of rosy fiction that makes her look amazing wherever possible and simply clam up or denies anything that suggests otherwise.
Ritz, meanwhile, is deeply entrenched among R+B royalty, living and dead, and has been an obsessive Aretha fan since her early recording days. Not to mention, he made contacts and conducted dozens of interviews for From These Roots that he could never use the first time around. So for 2014's Respect , he went rogue and dug deeper into the Aretha Franklin mythos, without the cooperation of the Queen.
That premise is what made me check out Respect . I read it concurrently with Masters of Doom , a biography of video game pioneers John Carmack and John Romero. With MOD , biographer David Kushner got into all the nooks and crannies of the story without involving himself whatsoever in the narrative. Kushner's non-involvement in his book was just as fascinating as Ritz's involvement in his. They made for a great non-fiction yin and yang.
Back to Aretha - as a protagonist, she is the type who makes you yell at the movie screen: "WHY ARE YOU BOOKING THAT HIGH-PROFILE GIG IN LONDON?! YOU KNOW YOU'RE JUST GONNA CANCEL IT AT THE LAST SECOND BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE! THEY'RE GONNA SUE YOU FOR THAT! STOP BURNING BRIDGES, ARETHA!"
I started reading Respect at the point where she had her big '80s comeback - "Freeway of Love," "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Who's Zoomin' Who." This comeback, it turns out, was a decade in the making. Aretha was madly obsessed with staying relevant and reinventing herself for younger generations, but she was also a control freak without a discerning ear for separating singles from filler. Aretha's peaks are mainly what we remember now, but there were hella valleys.
As the story proceeds through the '90s and the '00s, Aretha keeps making the same mistakes but gets more stubborn in her denial and isolation. I started skipping back a chapter at a time, ending up at Aretha's smash chart re-entry, 1982's "Jump To It," written and produced by Luther Vandross; then ending up at Aretha's involvement in 1980's The Blues Brothers and the film career she almost had. ("YOU'RE SO DEMANDING, ARETHA! AND FLAKY! BRIDGE BURNER! BRIDGE BURRRRNERRR!!"); then ending up at Amazing Grace , her career-peak '70s gospel album.
I confess I didn't read most of what Ritz wrote about the '40s, '50s and '60s, save an early chapter about how the young touring artists on the black gospel circuit in the '50s used to have bisexual orgies together*. Because, wouldn't you read that chapter, too?
In the end, Respect was an enjoyable book for me, but at 529 pages, it was too much information. I think, in general, I prefer to read memoirs of people who are still in their 30s and 40s. This one spans nearly three-fourths of a century. But I'd love to read another David Ritz R+B biography.
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February 29, 2024
Orgies. Adultery. Child grooming. Pregnant 12 year-olds. All of this was apparently endemic to the world of African American church music in which Aretha Franklin grew up. She had multiple pregnancies before her Sweet 16, for example.
It feels like Ritz is so intent on not seeming "racist" that, rather than criticising the grooming & rape & abuse, he tries to rationalize it away as a "beautiful" part of the culture...
Makes it rather hard to remember much of anything else in the book, really.
It feels like Ritz is so intent on not seeming "racist" that, rather than criticising the grooming & rape & abuse, he tries to rationalize it away as a "beautiful" part of the culture...
Makes it rather hard to remember much of anything else in the book, really.
October 22, 2018
I loved this book about Aretha Franklin. I have not read the first book about the Queen of Soul (It was titled From These Roots), but this book by David Ritz, title RESPECT, lines up with the various stories I have heard about Aretha Franklin. She was a sister from Detroit, that is a fact and so clear from this book.
Lots of people are MIA from this book, mostly her friends, but her family is represented here: her brother Cecil, his wife, Earline, her sisters Carolyn and Erma, and her musical colleagues, the people who handled her business as much as she would let them.
Hearing what Aretha Franklin's long-time booking agent, Ruth Bowen, had to say is worth the price of the book. She knew Aretha. She talks about how many times Aretha Franklin fired her (so many times) how Aretha Franklin didn't talk to her for months at a time. How Aretha Franklin would skip out on a concert date. It didn't matter how much money was involved or where the location, if the Queen decided she wasn't going to play the date, she didn't. It cost Franklin a fortune, Bowen said, skipping all those dates.
RESPECT comes with an index. Readers can see at a glance who all is represented. All the big names of the Queen's music are here: Jerry Wexler, Clive Davis, chief among them, but others whose music I loved, Curtis Mayfield, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles. Not many women because Franklin was jealous of women singers, but Cissy Houston is here and Dionne Warwick. Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole. The last two whom Aretha Franklin gave the side eye, and wasn't nice to at all. I laughed reading about what it was like to work with her, how people willingly gave her respect, but she also demanded control.
This book shows how human Aretha Franklin was. This icon of music acted like any person who has something to lose and deeply fears that loss. She loses much including all of her birth family. When she died in August 2018 she was the last survivor of her birth family and the longest lived at age 76.
I cannot leave these comments without relating this one thing I also shared with my husband reading to him directly from the book. Ruth Bowen was the publicist and booking agent and she would get calls when Aretha wanted her to place a soft-ball story in the press, notably Jet magazine. It would pretty much print whatever the Queen said. This one time Aretha was talking about a new man in her life, but she would not reveal his name. When Ritz asked about this, all her close associates, including her beloved brother Cecil, said if it was real they would know who he was. Ruth Bowen said bluntly, "Aretha was always making up shit."
I have always loved Aretha Franklin's music, especially the R&B, but after reading this book, I LOVE her. This book makes clear that though she was a musical genius, a gifted artist, a talent from out of this world, at base she was just a black woman from Detroit, with flaws and imperfections, just like me.
Lots of people are MIA from this book, mostly her friends, but her family is represented here: her brother Cecil, his wife, Earline, her sisters Carolyn and Erma, and her musical colleagues, the people who handled her business as much as she would let them.
Hearing what Aretha Franklin's long-time booking agent, Ruth Bowen, had to say is worth the price of the book. She knew Aretha. She talks about how many times Aretha Franklin fired her (so many times) how Aretha Franklin didn't talk to her for months at a time. How Aretha Franklin would skip out on a concert date. It didn't matter how much money was involved or where the location, if the Queen decided she wasn't going to play the date, she didn't. It cost Franklin a fortune, Bowen said, skipping all those dates.
RESPECT comes with an index. Readers can see at a glance who all is represented. All the big names of the Queen's music are here: Jerry Wexler, Clive Davis, chief among them, but others whose music I loved, Curtis Mayfield, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles. Not many women because Franklin was jealous of women singers, but Cissy Houston is here and Dionne Warwick. Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole. The last two whom Aretha Franklin gave the side eye, and wasn't nice to at all. I laughed reading about what it was like to work with her, how people willingly gave her respect, but she also demanded control.
This book shows how human Aretha Franklin was. This icon of music acted like any person who has something to lose and deeply fears that loss. She loses much including all of her birth family. When she died in August 2018 she was the last survivor of her birth family and the longest lived at age 76.
I cannot leave these comments without relating this one thing I also shared with my husband reading to him directly from the book. Ruth Bowen was the publicist and booking agent and she would get calls when Aretha wanted her to place a soft-ball story in the press, notably Jet magazine. It would pretty much print whatever the Queen said. This one time Aretha was talking about a new man in her life, but she would not reveal his name. When Ritz asked about this, all her close associates, including her beloved brother Cecil, said if it was real they would know who he was. Ruth Bowen said bluntly, "Aretha was always making up shit."
I have always loved Aretha Franklin's music, especially the R&B, but after reading this book, I LOVE her. This book makes clear that though she was a musical genius, a gifted artist, a talent from out of this world, at base she was just a black woman from Detroit, with flaws and imperfections, just like me.
March 1, 2015
I think this is probably a definitive autobiography of Aretha Franklin. Because of his long history of writing about the music industry, he author had amazing access to Aretha's siblings, producers, booking agents, fellow performers and more (and had interviewed Aretha herself many times while helping her with her autobiography). I respected Ritz for not issuing this biography until many of the people that he interviewed had passed away.
My complaint is that this is really a biography of an artist and less so of a person. He spent a lot of time on her individual songs and albums, which made the book very long. I would have appreciated more time on her as a person. For example, the fact that she had two children as a younger teenager was mentioned only briefly.
My complaint is that this is really a biography of an artist and less so of a person. He spent a lot of time on her individual songs and albums, which made the book very long. I would have appreciated more time on her as a person. For example, the fact that she had two children as a younger teenager was mentioned only briefly.
April 1, 2020
According to this book, Aretha Franklin was every bit of the petty, bratty diva that we knew and loved as her fans. This book was very well written with interviews from those who were around her and “knew her the best”, but I still feel it lacks depth. We get all these different diva moments but no real reason as to why. The people around her just chalk it up to her having been in tough situations in the past.
I really wanted to learn about Aretha the person, the musical genius, but according to this book Aretha didn’t let anyone in and almost everything that we saw was a portrait she painted.
I really wanted to learn about Aretha the person, the musical genius, but according to this book Aretha didn’t let anyone in and almost everything that we saw was a portrait she painted.
December 3, 2014
The book becomes boring and you wish they would write it more like the old biographies. Today a lot of useless droning on about producers and album covers, it is better to read something about her with another author. I so do wish for the old days when people knew how to keep a book moving.
May 8, 2021
Hard core Aretha fans will probably love this book, although it doesn't portray her in the best light. At 500 pages I think it could have been a better book if the author had dealt more with the personal stuff and less with all the detail about each song, album, and every other aspect of the music business. I found the personal stuff a lot more interesting. The author ghost-wrote an autobiography with Aretha before this book and felt she was far from honest in that book so came back with this book that she did not authorize and apparently was upset that he wrote it. There are many anecdotes from family members and business associates, most of which were not flattering. It would be interesting to read both books and compare.
February 14, 2019
I took 2 days after finishing this book to write my review in my own opinion. I had to let the contents of the book stew in my mind for awhile because how can you review someone's life? Then I reminded myself that I'm not reviewing/judging Aretha's life but the way in which David Ritz interprets it! This author also wrote another book about Aretha Franklin in 1999 entitled, "Aretha: From These Roots". The author claims that the book's contents were completely controlled by the Queen herself and he felt the reader didn't get a full 3 dimensional picture. "From these roots" is told in Aretha's own words so is sure to leave a lot of things out or glossed over, more fairytale than reality. I have to say sometimes reading a biography of someone's life can get a bit boring because you don't find out anything juicy! You want to know about the real person and their real life struggles with love, money, work, family, whatever. This book hits all those points for me and then some. It had interviews with Aretha's sisters, brothers and especially her booking agent who didn't pull any punches (LOL)! Lots of information that 5 years of collecting and documenting produced. The book talks about the Rev. CL Franklin as a promiscuous baptist preacher who was a very liberal democrat and followed politics and world events, a very big supporter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who helped organize marches and fundraisers while volunteering his daughter's voice for the cause. IMHO, even though Aretha was a child prodigy who could sing Gospel, Jazz, Blues, R&B, Pop and Opera, she was a woman who confused abusive and controlling with strong and protective men (as in her relationships/marriages). I personally have much more RESPECT for her now then before I read this book, I always admired her voice but now she's a fully realized person to me. RIP, Lady Soul.
October 28, 2017
I've read several of David Ritz's autobiographies and in this case biography and he is a very detailed writer that wants to get at the essence of the person. He has done a great job in allowing the reader to really know, to some extent, the person. Over the years, I've read his autobiographies on Marvin Gaye, Etta James, Ray Charles and Gladys Knight and they were all excellent, well written books. I also read the first "fluff" piece that he did on Aretha many years ago. With the first one, I somehow sensed that it wouldn't be an honest assessment of who she was and I was right, but this one is different. With this one, you get a much clearer, more honest picture of the person that she is and she's a hot mess. To spent your entire life lying to yourself is a tragedy. Without truth, without self awareness, there is no growth. She is not a nice person and that's being kind. She was delusional...why would anyone chose to live their life that way? Her jealousy of other female artist, her rage at people when they spoke the truth to her or if a review wasn't to her liking was unreasonable, petty and immature. Because of her fame, those who walked on eggshells to accommodate her silliness, reinforced the bad behavior. As a society, we have an almost worshipful attitude about celebrities that helps shape them in unbecoming ways.
That being said, Ritz did a great job. Clearly he knew the first book wasn't right and that's why he wrote this companion piece. One can see the honesty in his writing and know that he does it from the heart and wants to get it right, in a very real and honest way...which he did.
That being said, Ritz did a great job. Clearly he knew the first book wasn't right and that's why he wrote this companion piece. One can see the honesty in his writing and know that he does it from the heart and wants to get it right, in a very real and honest way...which he did.
July 13, 2020
I love this book so much. One of my all time favorites.
As the author explains, Aretha agreed to work with him to write what eventually became her autobiography—that is, after she edited out most of his contributions because they didn’t complement the self-hagiography she intended. I love Aretha so much; everything about that last sentence is so SO so perfectly on brand. (That autobiography sold so poorly it didn’t warrant a paperback release)
Years later, then, he wrote his own biography and included all the interviews he conducted with pretty much ALL the people who knew Aretha through every phase of her life and career. She granted access to those people way back then, so though she publicly trashed this book when it was released it is a definitive history.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
As the author explains, Aretha agreed to work with him to write what eventually became her autobiography—that is, after she edited out most of his contributions because they didn’t complement the self-hagiography she intended. I love Aretha so much; everything about that last sentence is so SO so perfectly on brand. (That autobiography sold so poorly it didn’t warrant a paperback release)
Years later, then, he wrote his own biography and included all the interviews he conducted with pretty much ALL the people who knew Aretha through every phase of her life and career. She granted access to those people way back then, so though she publicly trashed this book when it was released it is a definitive history.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
March 9, 2016
I love autobiographies and biographies of great soul singers. They dared to dream even during Americans Jim Crows era. This both has given me such a deeper RESPECT for Ms Aretha Franklin. The Queen has lived and endured a lot and persevered to be great. She is a private person so I am thankful that the author was able to use interviews with her and close family, friends and colleagues to give us insight into Ms Franklin's life.
December 2, 2014
This uneven biography of Aretha Franklin is a fascinating, bare-knuckles portrait. Although a good read, I really objected to the author injecting himself into the book - it was distracting and unnecessary. Cameo appearances and observations by all the great R & B/Soul stars. Left me feeling very sad.
April 29, 2015
This was extremely well written, but lacked the depth you normally find in a biography. It seemed like he wanted to write a book on Aretha to make up for his name being on her autobiography, but didn't want to overly upset her. Oh well...maybe there will be a real in depth biography at some point.
December 8, 2019
Got bored with it really quickly.
May 2, 2021
Sometimes after reading one book will make you want another book with a similar topic. My previous review was a fictional music documentary in a novel titled The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton. Opal Jewel was one half of a groundbreaking punk rock duo from the early 1970s that nearly made into superstardom. However, Opal’s diva behavior and Nev’s self-destructive tendencies kept the duo from reaching their full musical potential. The book portrayed Opal as a diva, and her character kept me reading this excellent debut novel. Immediately after finishing it, I wanted to read a book about a real-life diva and came across Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin by David Ritz. Ritz had written several musical biographies, the best known was Divided Soul: The Life Of Marvin Gaye about Marvin Gaye.
I had to admit that I knew little of about Aretha Franklin outside of her most popular songs like Respect (an Otis Redding song), Chain of Fools, Rock Steady, & I Say a Little Prayer (my favorite of her songs). In reading Respect, I learned Aretha was a musical genius. Unfortunately, we as a society don’t give women the genius label often. Of course, there was the obvious reason of sexism behind it. And that was a shame. If a human being (man or woman) was worthy of such a label, then we should give it without hesitation. Aretha Franklin deserved to be called a musical genius without a doubt.
I know that most biography readers want to read about that famous person or artist’s personal life. Who were they behind their gift and matched their public persona? Well, I did not want to read Respect for those reasons at all. I’m fascinated by human creativity and how an artist creates their art. Those elements of Respect were much more interesting than Aretha’s tumultuous personal life. I have to admit that tumultuous was the exact adjective to describe Aretha’s life outside of music.
I will mention that she was a teen mother with two boys before the age of eighteen, went through two failed marriages, had a fear of flying, and rocky relationships with everyone close to her, including her talented sisters, Erma & Carolyn. However, she was a daddy’s girl and her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, had a major influence throughout her life. All of those stories were throughout the book, and there was plenty of meat to chew on for those who are interested in those details.
This quote near the book by songwriter-producer Gordon Chambers got my attention:
“When I arrived at her home studio in Detroit, she was at the piano practicing. I discovered that she not only learns the song by listening to the tapes, but she actually works out the song on piano. That’s how she’s able to Aretha-ize it. In her golden era, she may have sung more full-out from her chest and was now singing more from her head, but she knew how to make that adjustment flawlessly.”
Aretha was a singer’s singer and musician’s musician. She was probably the greatest interpreter of songs that America has ever produced. She did not know how to read or write music. But, she could transform any song from gospel to jazz to R&B to Opera and make it her own. That was pure genius, and I wanted to know more about that than the previously mentioned personal life stuff.
Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin is an excellent music biography of a complex musical genius. The book shows her flaws and resilient nature in detail. I have always thought that Whitney Houston was the greatest singing talent I’ve heard in my lifetime. I had to reassess that declaration after reading this book and listening to Aretha’s music (especially her jazz material) over the past few days. Her rendition of the classic tune, Skylark made me stop what I was doing the other day and just listen her voice command the song. She was special and an American musical treasure. I’m glad that I read this biography. Rest in Love, Aretha!
I had to admit that I knew little of about Aretha Franklin outside of her most popular songs like Respect (an Otis Redding song), Chain of Fools, Rock Steady, & I Say a Little Prayer (my favorite of her songs). In reading Respect, I learned Aretha was a musical genius. Unfortunately, we as a society don’t give women the genius label often. Of course, there was the obvious reason of sexism behind it. And that was a shame. If a human being (man or woman) was worthy of such a label, then we should give it without hesitation. Aretha Franklin deserved to be called a musical genius without a doubt.
I know that most biography readers want to read about that famous person or artist’s personal life. Who were they behind their gift and matched their public persona? Well, I did not want to read Respect for those reasons at all. I’m fascinated by human creativity and how an artist creates their art. Those elements of Respect were much more interesting than Aretha’s tumultuous personal life. I have to admit that tumultuous was the exact adjective to describe Aretha’s life outside of music.
I will mention that she was a teen mother with two boys before the age of eighteen, went through two failed marriages, had a fear of flying, and rocky relationships with everyone close to her, including her talented sisters, Erma & Carolyn. However, she was a daddy’s girl and her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, had a major influence throughout her life. All of those stories were throughout the book, and there was plenty of meat to chew on for those who are interested in those details.
This quote near the book by songwriter-producer Gordon Chambers got my attention:
“When I arrived at her home studio in Detroit, she was at the piano practicing. I discovered that she not only learns the song by listening to the tapes, but she actually works out the song on piano. That’s how she’s able to Aretha-ize it. In her golden era, she may have sung more full-out from her chest and was now singing more from her head, but she knew how to make that adjustment flawlessly.”
Aretha was a singer’s singer and musician’s musician. She was probably the greatest interpreter of songs that America has ever produced. She did not know how to read or write music. But, she could transform any song from gospel to jazz to R&B to Opera and make it her own. That was pure genius, and I wanted to know more about that than the previously mentioned personal life stuff.
Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin is an excellent music biography of a complex musical genius. The book shows her flaws and resilient nature in detail. I have always thought that Whitney Houston was the greatest singing talent I’ve heard in my lifetime. I had to reassess that declaration after reading this book and listening to Aretha’s music (especially her jazz material) over the past few days. Her rendition of the classic tune, Skylark made me stop what I was doing the other day and just listen her voice command the song. She was special and an American musical treasure. I’m glad that I read this biography. Rest in Love, Aretha!
April 21, 2021
This was a struggle based both on the content and the writing style. I wasn’t a hardcore fan of Aretha Franklin but I thought her story would be engaging and interesting. Well, like certain characters I read earlier this month, sometimes you get more than you want. This biography reflected her life story for better or worse. And I had to learn to extend grace to this fragile yet talented singer. And in the process learned something about myself.
The earlier portion of this biography shines the best. The author wisely set the tone with the inclusion of the times and music scene. It lends itself best to listening to her greatest hits at the same time. The reader is treated to an armchair view to the new and developing music scene especially for the black artistes. The clash between gospel and secular music and those like Aretha who crossed over with much disapproval. The struggle to find her style. But.... it has a lot of filler especially after a while. It became a chore as the same refrain keeps playing up until the end of the novel.
Having heard about this extremely private yet insecure woman, I am reminded that childhood events truly shape us and that the music industry is a fickle beast. Staying relevant for years is hard as trends change. And success goes to head so that good advice is ignored to your detriment. This story, like all those stars in music business, remains a cautionary tale. And many of those we laud and celebrate really need our prayers and often lots of good quality therapy. Regardless, I note her strength and devotion to her family. As well as her delusions, rivalry against younger female stars and her need for control and anger when devastated. And I wonder how different her life would have been if her mom was more instrumental in her upbringing.
The earlier portion of this biography shines the best. The author wisely set the tone with the inclusion of the times and music scene. It lends itself best to listening to her greatest hits at the same time. The reader is treated to an armchair view to the new and developing music scene especially for the black artistes. The clash between gospel and secular music and those like Aretha who crossed over with much disapproval. The struggle to find her style. But.... it has a lot of filler especially after a while. It became a chore as the same refrain keeps playing up until the end of the novel.
Having heard about this extremely private yet insecure woman, I am reminded that childhood events truly shape us and that the music industry is a fickle beast. Staying relevant for years is hard as trends change. And success goes to head so that good advice is ignored to your detriment. This story, like all those stars in music business, remains a cautionary tale. And many of those we laud and celebrate really need our prayers and often lots of good quality therapy. Regardless, I note her strength and devotion to her family. As well as her delusions, rivalry against younger female stars and her need for control and anger when devastated. And I wonder how different her life would have been if her mom was more instrumental in her upbringing.
Read
July 22, 2021David Ritz co-wrote an autobiography with Aretha in 1999, and found that--in his interviews with her family members, her producers, other musicians of the era--Aretha's telling of her life events diverges from what other people remember. And so comes about this book, an unauthorized biography mostly made up of quotes from the supporting cast of characters of Aretha's life. And Ritz weaves those quotes well. From her childhood days as a gospel prodigy in her father's church, to her early, unsuccessful attempts at pop crossover under Columbia, her superstardom during the 60s under Atlantic--it's all pretty riveting.
Then in the 70s we enter her flop era, and the book does become sour. Aretha had always been after hits (which pop star isn't?) but increasingly this led her to record uninspiring material and release dud after dud. But Ritz isn't out to mock her. He is clearly a stan (lol), and at the end of this book, he gets introspective while watching her perform in 2013:
And I think he succeeds.
Then in the 70s we enter her flop era, and the book does become sour. Aretha had always been after hits (which pop star isn't?) but increasingly this led her to record uninspiring material and release dud after dud. But Ritz isn't out to mock her. He is clearly a stan (lol), and at the end of this book, he gets introspective while watching her perform in 2013:
As I watched these truncated appearances, I felt sadness—she was but a shadow of her former self—but also deep admiration for her sheer willpower. At the same time I kept thinking of what I wanted her to do:
[...]
I wanted her to give up the notion of having to stay current by working with music executives whose obsession for sales trumps concern for lasting quality or musical integrity.
In short, I wanted her to be a different kind of artist—and a different kind of woman—than who she is.
I remind myself that my job is not only to tell her story but to understand and accept her for who she is.
And I think he succeeds.
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