RESPECT The Life of Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin turns out to be a complex musical genius in this audiobook biography. Narrator Brad Raymond does a great job of portraying the relatives and friends in her life who helped her succeed. Raymond’s cadence and inflections change as he switches from Cecil, her brother, to Carolyn and Erma, her sisters, as well as Ruth Bowen, her first manager. Aretha was a child prodigy. But when her mother died, she was just 10, and it changed her life forever. Raymond also captures her father, a strong, vibrant man who demanded much of Aretha. As narrator, Raymond takes the listener through every stage of Aretha’s triumphs and tragedies. E.E.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2015]