The Legacy of Aretha Franklin

Guest: Birgitta Johnson, Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology and African American Studies, University of South Carolina The funeral for Aretha Franklin –Queen of Soul – will happen this Friday in Detroit, featuring an all-star line-up of performers paying tribute to her influence on gospel, soul and pop music. Into her late 60s, she was still recording music as a high level. What made Aretha such a powerful and enduring influence on American music and popular culture?