'Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. She is known to the music world as "The Queen of Soul" and is affectionately called "Sister Ree" by her fans.

She is renowned for her soul recordings but is also adept at jazz, rock, blues, pop, gospel, and even opera. She is widely acclaimed for her passionate, soulful vocal style, which is aided by a massive and powerful vocal range.

Franklin is the second most honored female singer in Grammy history after Alison Krauss. She has won eighteen competitive Grammy Awards, and has also been awarded the Living Legend Grammy and the Lifetime Achievement Grammy.