A biography of African American singer Aretha Franklin is presented. She trained as a gospel singer in Detroit, Michigan at the church where her father, Reverend C. L. Franklin, presided. Her career catapulted after she signed with Jerry Wexler for Atlantic Records, with the song "Respect" being her first hit. She was dubbed the Queen of Soul by a deejay in 1967. Her career spanned more than 50 years, selling more than 75 million albums, winning 18 Grammy Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died of pancreatic cancer August 16, 2018.