Poet Nikki Giovanni, friend of Aretha

Aretha was the black aesthetic. She was having the ability to be more herself. Motown wanted to sign her and her dad wouldn’t let her. And that was a really intelligent decision. It would’ve killed her. He let her go to Columbia and that didn’t work. Jerry Wexler made the pitch for Atlantic, and they sent her down to Muscle Shoals. Saying we’re going to get this great album. But she’s a Detroit person. She knew the black sounds coming out of Detroit were incredible. These were people she knew. Her changing was the natural changing. We’re the same age. It was a natural progression of her coming into herself, and into her power. Yeah, you’re filling up the halls and people are loving you, but then you begin to realize that this wonderful gift does have power, and how you use it and how you incorporate it into her life. Look at her dad---Rev. Franklin had hit records, helped pioneer that whole thing. People would buy his sermons. She was always in this aesthetic. She grew up in this household that this was all about the changes, the changes, the changes. Remember, in those days you didn’t sing gospel and rhythm and blues. People were upset---Aretha adored Sam Cooke and when Sam left the church, CL Franklin knew that Aretha needed to be heard. To let her explore her talent. There’s only one Mahalia Jackson, and CL was very close to Clara Ward and he could see why not go to the next step? He was always a good businessman.