Aretha Franklin
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Stars out for the final Kennedy Center Honors gala of the Obama eraCelebrities including Al Pacino and Aretha Franklin celebrate outgoing president amid uncertainty about 2017 event under Trump
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Chips Moman obituaryGuitarist, record producer and songwriter who co-wrote The Dark End of the Street and worked with Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Tammy Wynette
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Bob Dylan's new album – as performed by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and moreBob Dylan’s new album, Fallen Angels, brings together 12 mid-20th century standards. We’ve compiled a playlist of the finest versions
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Barack Obama to host International Jazz Day concert at White HouseHerbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin and Sting among dozens of stars lined up for celebration at the home of the US president
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Readers recommend: favourite songs and playlistsNew Year? New perspective. It’s open season time: name songs about writing songs and making playlists, pick your favourite all-time RR themes, and alongside the hits, highlight songs and topics we missed
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Readers recommend: songs about crowns - resultsKrauss to Kestner, Costello to Collective Soul, RR regular takeitawayGuru strides regally across many a kingdom to put a special Handel on last week’s topic
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Michelle Obama releases playlist of anthems for International Day of the GirlSpotify set includes songs like Alicia Keys’ Girl on Fire and Beyoncé’s Run the World (Girls) as first lady promotes her Let Girls Learn campaign
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Readers recommend: songs about being a man or woman - resultsFrom doing right with Aretha Franklin to feeling wrong with John Callaghan, RR’s BlackCombe picks some emotional songs about gender roles from last week’s topic
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Aretha Franklin to perform for Pope Francis during Philadelphia visitMark Wahlberg to host Festival of Families on 26 September during pontiff’s first US visit
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Dream role: Jennifer Hudson in talks to play Aretha Franklin in new biopicThe Oscar-winning singer-turned-actor is being mooted to play the legendary soul singer in a new film from the producer of Straight Outta Compton
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Potus playlist: Barack Obama shares his favorite summer tracks on SpotifyThe US president freshens America’s musical palate with a survey of tried-and-true classics and discoverable new artists ranging from soul to rock to jazz
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Readers recommend: songs about books - resultsA Clockwork Orange to Gravity’s Rainbow, Perfume to Winnie the Pooh? This week’s librarian of book-inspired songs, flatfrog, offers a shelf of listening from last week’s topic
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Björk, Blondie and Bruce – the cover portraits that deserve to hang in a galleryThe National Portrait Gallery in London is to display the photo from the cover of Kate Tempest’s album. But it’s not the only cover portrait that deserves to be exhibited – here are some of our favourites
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It's diva week! Mariah, Chaka and Diana can show you how to live like a bossMariah Carey, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin all have birthdays this week – and each has something important to teach us
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Don Covay obituarySongwriter, singer and record producer whose compositions became hits for stars including Chubby Checker and Aretha Franklin
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Don Covay, R&B songwriter, dies aged 76The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin and Chubby Checker all had hits with covers of Covay’s songs
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Clive Davis: ‘Janis Joplin thought sleeping with me would make things seem less corporate’The veteran record producer talks about his key collaborations with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen and Alicia Keys – and his regrets for those he never signed
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Aretha Franklin's lead track from covers album is Adele's Rolling in the DeepSinger will also rework hits by Gloria Gaynor, Barbra Streisand and Sinéad O’Connor on forthcoming Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics
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Vintage Black Glamour - in picturesThe history of film and music often omits the role played by women of colour. But a glossy new book redresses the balance
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Gerry Goffin: six of his best songsFrom the Shirelles' soundtrack to mid-century teenhood to Dusty's delicately philosophical pop and Aretha Franklin's inimitable love song – listen to some of the late songwriter's greatest creations
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The elder statesmen and stateswomen of music – who are your favourites?Open thread: As Dolly Parton releases a brand new album and embarks on a world tour, we take a look at the best artists still rocking in their sixth decade and beyond
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Aretha Franklin plans diva covers album
Singer plots concept record featuring versions of Barbra Streisand's People, Donna Summer's 1978 disco hit Last Dance, and possibly Destiny's Child's Bootylicious
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Elton John: soundtrack of my life
The singer tells Leah Harper about the influence of Elvis (and his mum), the brilliance of Bruce Hornsby and Bridge Over Troubled Water, and the musician who always turns the most heads at his famous parties
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Aretha Franklin confesses to laughing at Beyoncé lip-synching controversySoul legend 'cracked up' at reports that younger star may have mimed US national anthem at Obama inauguration
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The 2 Bears' New Year's Eve party playlist
Raf Rundell of the house duo picks the tracks that will get your living room floor bouncing tonight
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From the archive, 2 August 1970: A little respect? That's the least she deserves
Originally published in the Observer on 2 August 1970: The lady who first made the phrase "sock it to me" popular attacks an audience with voice and gesture
Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin announces her retirement