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From These Roots Jesse Monteagudo's Book Nook 
Aretha Franklin's long-awaited autobiography is the latest in a long line of diva memoirs written to delight the diva's fans, enlighten other readers, and clear the air as to said diva's life and her achievements. At best, these memoirs tell a captivating story about struggle and success, as did Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday and I, Tina by Tina Turner. At worst, they are a form of literary masturbation that does nothing to enhance the diva's reputation, as was the case with Diana Ross's Secrets of a Sparrow. Though recent books by Gloria Gaynor, Etta James, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Martha Reeves and RuPaul tried to make the case for their authors' diva status, they failed to reach an audience beyond their authors' particular fan base; RuPaul of course being the exception. Aretha Franklin is such an introvert that fans and critics alike were forced to rummage through her lyrics to find hidden clues about her life. At the same time, Franklin's status as the greatest female singer of the Rock and Roll Era guaranteed that any book by the Queen of Soul would be a major event. The news that Lady Re was writing her memoirs drove her fans and the music world at large into a frenzy of anticipation. Surely we will now learn more about this incredibly talented woman: her parents; the two sons she had out of wedlock when she was only a teenager; her stormy marriage to Ted White, who could almost make Ike Turner look good (and who lacked Ike's talents); her subsequent relationship with Ken "Wolf" Cunningham and her marriage to Glynn Turman; her work with John Hammond, Jerry Wexler, Clive Davis. . .
Father, of course, was the Rev. C. L. Franklin, Detroit's most celebrated African-American preacher and clearly the most important man in Aretha's life. It was Rev. Franklin who encouraged her precocious daughter to become a professional singer; even as she almost ruined her life by getting knocked up at 13 and again at 16 --by two different men whose names Franklin refuses to reveal. "Was I innocent? Naive? Vulnerable? Lovestruck? Yes, all of the above," she now admits, sheepishly. Franklin writes at length about her famous Dad, her sisters Erma and Carolyn, and her brother Cecil. On the other hand, she seems more interested in her food than in her four sons, who she barely mentions. She has little to say about her relationship with White--which "was educational to say the least"--or how his hot temper almost destroyed his wife's career just when it was taking off. She is less reticent about Cunningham and Turman and her on-again, off-again relationship with a man she calls "Mr. Mystique" and whom she refuses to identify (readers' guesses have run the gamut from Rev. Jesse Jackson to Bryant Gumbel).
Though Franklin denies there's a feud going on between her and Cole, she doesn't miss an opportunity to attack the poor woman who had the audacity to win "her" Grammy (for Best R&B Performance by a Female) after Franklin won it for 8 straight years (1967-74). Another (unnamed) diva got the royal finger from the Queen of Soul after the two women had a bitch fight in the White House. On the other hand, Franklin has only nice things to say about Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, Nancy Wilson and, surprisingly enough, Ross, who looks better in her fellow Motown diva's book than she does in other people's memoirs. Aretha: From These Roots deals with the author's famous fear of flying and her weight problem, though not with her notoriously bad taste in clothes. This book is surprisingly skimpy with the photos, and the shot of Franklin with her road manager, Norman Dugger, is awful! (Franklin looks like she has a black eye and a missing tooth.)
Looking to the future, Franklin is taking singing lessons(!), working on a
cookbook and doing her best to lose weight. ("It has been the hardest
thing I've ever had to accomplish," a statement that all of us who have
weight problems can relate to.)
Happily for Franklin, Aretha: From These Roots has done little harm to her reputation, and she is still celebrated around the world as the undisputed Queen of Soul. Long may she reign. |
One former beau who Franklin is willing to reveal is Dennis Edwards of
the Temptations, if only because Edwards already told his side of the story.
In her book, Franklin is not above acting like the Grand Diva,
especially when she dishes fellow divas Knight, Natalie Cole, Cissy
Houston and Luther Vandross. Franklin still hasn't forgiven Knight for
not thanking her after Franklin gave Knight and her Pips a ride on her
chartered plane so they could attend Martin Luther King, Jr's funeral (in
1968!).
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