Beauty and fashion photographer Matthew Jordan Smith releases Aretha Cool: The Intimate Portraits. Smith’s fourth book is his tribute to the Queen of Soul during Women’s History Month. Smith is the author of Sepia Dreams: A Celebration of Black Achievement Through Words and Images (St. Martin’s Publishing Group), Lost andContinue Reading
Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller wrote “Get It Right” for Aretha Franklin’s 1983 album of the same name. It was the second time Vandross produced an album for Franklin with him first taking the honor with her 1982 release Jump To It. “Get It Right” was a sassy dancefloor hitContinue Reading
Songwriting legend Burt Bacharach died of natural causes on February 8th at age 94. Bacharach was responsible for some of the most memorable pop songs of the 20th century many co-written with Hal David. Dionne Warwick became a star in the ’60s singing “Don’t Make Me Over,” Anyone Who HadContinue Reading
Aretha Franklin was monitored by the FBI for her civil rights activities as revealed by a 270-page declassified file. Journalist Jenn Dize requested the document using the Freedom Of Information Act. Franklin’s relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King and her overall interest in Black politics put her on the FBI’sContinue Reading