hitType: 'event', The couple divorced in 1984. Aretha was married to her second husband, actor Glynn Turman, from 1978 to 1984. },false) window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Aretha Franklin's Death. By this time, she was called the new-star female vocalist by A-list magazines. The star described the moment as precious because it allowed them full closure. It was widely believed that Ted, who was also Aretha's manager, was physically abusive with the singer. It was also where Barbara's mother lived. She was born in a religious household in Tennessee to Reverend C.L. Aretha Franklin dated Ken Cunningham for 7 years. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. It was her 11th Grammy so far. Aretha and Glynn never had children together, and after their marriage ended, she never married again. tour. Ray Charles once referred to C. L.'s church as a "sex circus." eventAction: 'load' Despite all the help around, motherhood was never easy. In 1962, the same recording company released two of her albums: The Electrifying Aretha Franklin and The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin. Eventually, Aretha made the difficult decision to separate from Ted White after roughly seven years of marriage. She also received two Grammys and SCLC Drum Beat Award for Musicians. After their split, Franklin went on to marry Glynn Turman in 1978. Edward and Aretha had a second child, Edward Jr., when she was 14-years- old. All of her children eventually followed their mother into the music industry with Teddy playing guitar at his mother's live shows for 25 years. However, in one of her handwritten wills, Franklin had revealed that the father of her first child was Edward Jordan. Around the same time her album What You See is What You Sweat was released. According to Ruth Bowen, a friend, Aretha turned to alcohol and food to comfort herself and disguise the fact that her marriage hadn't come out of a fairytale. Church members who suspected C. L. Franklin might be a predator monitored their young daughters while at church events. The youngest of Aretha's four sons is Kecalf Cunningham, who was born on March 28, 1970; he is a Christian rapper. She is thought to have been first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2010. Aretha Franklin dated Ken Cunningham for 7 years. In 1987, she released another gospel album, titled One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which was followed by another one Through the Storm. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. The couple split in 1968 and, pregnant again, Aretha became involved with her road manager, Ken Cunningham, with whom she had Kecalf, another son, in 1970. } }) Aretha married her first husband Ted White aged 19. Aretha Franklin was known was the Queen of Soul. Despite previous reports, Barbara Franklin did not desert her children. Yes. Despite her quietness, she still had a formidable presence. She was the winner of 18 Grammy Awards and has also received many American Music Awards. In 1967, Aretha singed to Atlantic Records and released I Never Love a Man the Way I Love You which topped the R&B chart and the Billboard Hot 100 with hit singles like: Do Right Woman, Do Right man, Respect, etc. "That's the hard part of being a family business, too, I think," said Jennifer Hudson. Before turning 18, she became pregnant with her second son, Edwards, and this time, she also had to leave school to face motherhood. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! In 1981, Franklin released her album Love All the Hurt Away. ", When the child responded that his mother was Aretha Franklin Glynn simply replied: "Whoa!". It's true that Ted White helped Aretha land a record deal. The actor was a 90 percent committed vegetarian while Aretha loved her meat. "[Martin Luther King Jr.] and my dad were great friends," Aretha said in an interview. As Aretha Franklin grew in her music career, traveled the world, and rallied for equal rights, the singer also had a complicated love life. The couple met backstage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion during a Ben Vereen show. Quotes By Aretha Franklin | }); Late musician Aretha Franklin at the opening of the Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Atrium at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 17, 2015 | Source: Getty Images. During Aretha's final days in the world, her ex-husband managed to visit her a day before her death. ", When the child responded that his mother was Aretha Franklin Glynn simply replied: "Whoa!". She kicked him out and they divorced the following year. Another source mentioned that Clarence's birth father was Donald Burke. Her first son Clarence's father is believed to be a boy Aretha knew from school called Donald Burk. Spouse/Ex-: Glynn Turman (m. 19781984), Ted White (m. 19611969), siblings: Carl Ellan Kelley, Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin, Rev. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { We do know that while Aretha was pursuing her career (and at the same time trying to be a kid and spend time with friends), her children were being raised by her grandmother, Rachel, and her sister, Erma. However, he works as a Christain rapper and has shared the stage with the iconic singer. In the 1970s, Franklin released albums like Spirit in the Dark, Young, Gifted & Black, Hey Now Hey, You, Sweet Passion etc. According to an insider: "Without the music, I'm not sure Aretha would have ever found her way out of the shell.". Franklin would cry regularly, and when it was time to visit her mother, she would pack her bags days before, displaying an eagerness to be with Barbara. During her marriage to Glynn, Aretha became the stepmother to his three children as well. While the couple worked together they co-wrote several songs during their relationship including I Wonder (Where You Are Tonight), Lee Cross, Dr. Feelgood, and Think. Kecalf Cunningham Aretha with son Kecalf and Clive Davis in 2014. She named him Clarence after her father. }); Aretha Franklin may have known all about harmony in her professional life, but sadly her personal life saw more than its fair share of discord. Closeup photo of Singer Aretha Franklin during an interview [left] Singer Aretha Franklin records in the studio in circa 1961 [right]. The children also traveled with Glynn to Europe or events like the Grammy Awards. Aretha gave birth to four children from three different men during her lifetime. While the answer might seem obvious for Jennifer Hudson's performance in the movie, production designer Ina Mayhew said that "anyone who has to sing in this movie can actually sing." In the fall of 1969, Aretha toured. . He said he had an opportunity to spend time with his ex Aretha before her death. "You're no longer the daughter, you're the talent. But do note that it is not possible to be certain of a person's genealogy without a family's cooperation (and/or DNA testing). Her popular single Today I Sung the Blues was released in the same year - it reached the Hot Rhythm & Blue Sellers Chart. hitType: 'event', The actor described her as "a love of my life." The Queen of Soul got married for a second time in 1978 to American actor Glynn Turman, who can be seen in Fargo and How to Get Away With Murder, among other projects (via IMDb). Born In: Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The end of their marriage was partially caused by the strain of trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. Jennifer Hudson sang Aretha Franklin's song "Share Your Love With Me" for her American Idol audition. eventAction: 'view' However, there are still millions to be gained from her legacy. He further said of the establishment, "High on the Holy Ghost, dancing in the aisles of New Bethel, the saints celebrated the love of Christ. }); Aretha had gone from a smothering and controlling relationship with her father to a controlling and abusive relationship with White. She had 3 siblings and they all grew up in a religious household. Aretha married twice, first to Theodore 'Ted' White in 1961 aged 19. A year after her divorce, Aretha started dating her road manager Ken Cunningham; he is the father of her youngest son Kecalf Cunningham, born on March 28, 1970. We are one of the worlds fastest growing He passed away not long after on July 27, 1984 at age 69. Kecalf is also musical and is a Christian rapper. under Columbia Records. The Queen of Soul succumbed to pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer on August 16, 2018. We are one of the worlds fastest growing We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Willie Wilkerson Not only was teenage pregnancy rare in the 1950s, but she was the child of a Baptist preacher. Once Franklin found her voice in music, another mishap occurred. pg.acq.push(function() { ga('ads.send', { Aretha and actor Glynn Turman married on April 11, 1978, at her father's church. Aretha had one son with Ted, Ted Jr in 1964. From 1964-1966, Franklin released various hit singles like: Runnin Out of Fools, One Step Ahead, Cry Like a Baby, You Made Me Love You, etc. Those who met her in person often described her as soft-spoken and reserved. Ten years later, Aretha wed her second husband, actor Glynn Turman and became the stepmother to Turman's three children from a previous marriage. You can find out more about Aretha's life as a mother and a musician in 'Genius: Aretha' on Sunday, March 21, 9/8c on National Geographic. See FameChain's massive Trump family tree. Her youngest son, Kecalf, was born in April 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham. This answer is: After motherhood, she transformed into a superstar, but that also came with some sacrifices. And then you no longer have a father, you have a manager or a husband, now that's your manager." The couple got married in 1961 and had a series of domestic violence incidents before ending up divorced in 1969 (via Essence). She also used to sing on the revival tours of her father. Whether either of these accounts is true, what lingers is that Franklin grew up too early. Also, watch Jennifer Hudson perform for Aretha at her tribute concert. When she was 10, her mother died; her grandmother and aunts took care of her and her siblings. ga('ads.send', { In 1978, she married actor Glynn Turman and took care of his three children from his former marriage. legendary singer had several relationships, two marriages and four biological children, followed their mother into the music industry. His father was Aretha's road manager Ken E Cunningham and Kecalf's name is an acronym of both his father and mothers full names. Did Aretha Franklin marry Ken Cunningham? //