The musician Aretha Franklin said “all singers aspired to be”
There’s no shortage of singers aspiring to the level of talent and influence attained by Aretha Franklin. The undisputed Queen of Soul had a voice like no other, full of power, emotion, and nuance in equal measure. Between the civil rights mantra that was ‘Respect’ and the ever-enduring ‘I Say a Little Prayer’, Franklin inspired generations of vocalists, from Chaka Khan to Freddie Mercury.
While Franklin may have had countless budding singers lauding her work, the Queen of Soul herself always aspired to be more like the King of the genre, Sam Cooke. His gorgeous vocal delivery gave meaning to beautiful tracks like ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ and ‘Bring It On Home To Me’, showcasing a voice that Franklin saw as an inspiration to every singer.
“All singers aspired to be Sam,” she once declared during a conversation with Rolling Stone, complimenting not only his voice but his personality, too. “He was a beautiful man,” she enthused, “Very charming, engaging – a great artist with a whole lotta personality. It was thrilling for me – and every other woman – to be in the room with him.”
Franklin’s statement is certainly based on truth. His influence extended far beyond Franklin, who often attempted to emulate Cooke early on. From the soul stylings of Al Green to the rock and roll of Eagles, Cooke’s influence can be found across just as many genres and generations as Franklin’s.
“Sam was what you call a singer’s singer,” she continued to gush, explaining how Cooke didn’t have to rely on anything else for his music or performance due to the beauty of his vocals. “As a performer, he was very simplistic,” she recalled, “He didn’t do a lot of running around on the stage, and because he knew he didn’t have to.”
“He had a voice,” she concluded, “and he didn’t have to do anything but stand in one place and wipe you out.” Franklin was particularly enthusiastic about one of Cooke’s compositions with that capability to wipe you out, his 1957 single ‘You Send Me’.
Picking it out as one of her favourite songs, she noted that it still doesn’t sound dated decades on. “It’s always current,” she noted, “You just can’t beat it.” She’s not wrong. The track was released more than six decades ago, but it still stands up. Soothing and stunning in equal measure, it’s a gorgeous display of Cooke’s talents and proof that he’s more than worthy of every singer’s awe and aspiration.
Revisit ‘You Send Me’ below.
