Aretha Franklin

American singer, songwriter, and pianist (1942–2018)
Person human Q125121
Aretha Franklin
Atlantic Records (Life time: Published before 1978 without a copyright notice) · Public Domain · Wikimedia
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Aretha Franklin

Summary

Aretha Franklin is a human[1]. She was born in Memphis[2]. She passed away in Detroit[3]. She worked as a singer[4], songwriter[5], activist[6], pianist[7], and composer[8]. She ranks in the top 0.14% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (20,574 views/month, #1,367 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis[2].
  • Aretha Franklin passed away in Detroit[3].
  • Aretha Franklin is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery[10].
  • Aretha Franklin's father was C. L. Franklin[11].
  • Aretha Franklin's mother was Barbara Siggers Franklin[12].
  • Aretha Franklin was married to Glynn Turman[13].
  • Aretha Franklin was married to Ted White[14].
  • Aretha Franklin held citizenship in United States[15].
  • English was Aretha Franklin's native language[16].
  • Aretha Franklin is identified as part of the African Americans ethnic group[17].
  • Aretha Franklin worked as a singer[4].
  • Aretha Franklin's professions included songwriter[5].
  • Aretha Franklin worked as an activist[6].
  • Aretha Franklin worked as a pianist[7].
  • Aretha Franklin's professions included composer[8].
  • Aretha Franklin's professions included record producer[18].
  • Aretha Franklin's field of work was music composing[19].
  • Aretha Franklin's field of work was soul[20].
  • Aretha Franklin's field of work was gospel music[21].
  • Aretha Franklin's field of work was singing[22].
  • Aretha Franklin's field of work was piano performance[23].
  • Aretha Franklin was educated at Northern High School[24].
  • Aretha Franklin received the National Medal of Arts[25].
  • Aretha Franklin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom[26].
  • Aretha Franklin received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis[2]. Her father was C. L. Franklin[11]. Her mother was Barbara Siggers Franklin[12]. She is identified as part of the African Americans ethnic group[17]. English was her native language[16].

Education

Aretha Franklin's education included a stint at Northern High School[24].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include singer[4], songwriter[5], activist[6], pianist[7], composer[8], and record producer[18]. Fields of work include music composing[19], a type of arts[28]; soul[20], a music genre[29], founded in 1955[30]; gospel music[21], a music genre[31], founded in 1600[32]; singing[22], a type of activity[33]; and piano performance[23], a field of study[34].

Recognition

Awards received include National Medal of Arts[25], a medallion[35], in United States[36], founded in 1984[37]; Presidential Medal of Freedom[26], an award[38], in United States[39], founded in 1963[40]; Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award[27], a lifetime achievement award[41], in United States[42], founded in 1962[43]; Grammy Legend Award[44], a class of music award[45], in United States[46], founded in 1990[47]; MusiCares Person of the Year[48], a music award[49], in United States[50], founded in 1991[51]; and Gospel Music Hall of Fame[52], an award[53], in United States[54], founded in 1971[55].

Personal Life

Spouses include Glynn Turman[13], an actor[56], b. 1947[57], of United States[58], awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series[59] and Ted White[14], 1931–2020[60], of United States[61]. Aretha Franklin's religion is recorded as Anglicanism[62]. She was affiliated with the Democratic Party[63].

Death and Burial

Aretha Franklin died in Detroit[3]. She is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery[10].

Why It Matters

Aretha Franklin ranks in the top 0.14% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (20,574 views/month, #1,367 of 1,000,298).[9] She has Wikipedia articles in 29 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[64] She is known by 66 alternative names across languages and contexts.[65]

She has been cited as an influence by Amy Winehouse[66], a singer-songwriter[67], 1983–2011[68], of United Kingdom[69], awarded the Grammy Award for Best New Artist[70], specialised in music composing[71]; Céline Dion[72], a singer[73], b. 1968[74], of Canada[75], awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honour[76]; Meghan Trainor[77], a singer-songwriter[78], b. 1993[79], of United States[80], awarded the Grammy Award for Best New Artist[81], specialised in pop music[82]; Sam Smith[83], a singer[84], b. 1992[85], of United Kingdom[86], awarded the Grammy Award for Record of the Year[87]; Faith Hill[88], a singer[89], b. 1967[90], of United States[91], awarded the American Music Award for Favorite Country Female Artist[92]; and Maxine Jones[93], a singer[94], b. 1962[95], of United States[96].

FAQs

Where was Aretha Franklin born?

Born in Memphis[2], Aretha Franklin…

Where did Aretha Franklin die?

Aretha Franklin died in Detroit[3].

Who were Aretha Franklin's parents?

Aretha Franklin's father was C. L. Franklin[11]. Aretha Franklin's mother was Barbara Siggers Franklin[12].

Who was Aretha Franklin married to?

Aretha Franklin's spouses include Glynn Turman[13] and Ted White[14].

What did Aretha Franklin do for work?

Aretha Franklin worked as singer[4], songwriter[5], activist[6], pianist[7], and composer[8].

Where did Aretha Franklin go to school?

Aretha Franklin was educated at Northern High School[24].

What awards did Aretha Franklin receive?

Honors received include National Medal of Arts[25], Presidential Medal of Freedom[26], Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award[27], and Grammy Legend Award[44].

Who did Aretha Franklin influence?

Aretha Franklin has been cited as an influence by Amy Winehouse[66], Céline Dion[72], Meghan Trainor[77], and Sam Smith[83].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [3] . washingtonpost.com. Retrieved . washingtonpost.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  3. [11] . wikidata.org.
  4. [12] . wikidata.org.
  5. [13] . wikidata.org.
  6. [14] . wikidata.org.
  7. [15] . wikidata.org.
  8. [24] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  9. [19] . wikidata.org.
  10. [20] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  11. [21] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  12. [22] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  13. [23] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  14. [63] . wikidata.org.
  15. [16] . wikidata.org.
  16. [4] . worldatlas.com. worldatlas.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  17. [5] . wikidata.org.
  18. [6] . wikidata.org.
  19. [7] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  20. [8] . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  21. [18] . wikidata.org.
  22. [10] . Find a Grave. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  23. [62] . wikidata.org.
  24. [25] . wikidata.org.
  25. [26] . crsreports.congress.gov. crsreports.congress.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  26. [27] . wikidata.org.
  27. [44] . wikidata.org.
  28. [48] . wikidata.org.
  29. [52] . wikidata.org.
  30. [17] . Notable Black American Women. wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [66] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [72] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [77] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [83] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [88] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [93] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
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  7. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [67] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [70] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [71] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [73] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [74] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [75] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [76] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [78] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  42. [79] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  43. [80] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  44. [81] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  45. [82] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [84] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  47. [85] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  48. [86] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  49. [87] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  50. [89] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  51. [90] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  52. [91] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  53. [92] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  54. [94] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  55. [95] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  56. [96] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [64] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [65] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Aretha Franklin. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/aretha-franklin
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_aretha-franklin_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Aretha Franklin}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/aretha-franklin}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-10}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 4d ago · ならちゃん · 2026-05-16 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Official website https://www.arethafranklin.net/
    Native language English
    Genre soul, funk, gospel music +4
    Member of political party Democratic Party
    + 61 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/31869|batch #31869]]"
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