Carole has written hundreds of songs. One of the most famous is “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” which she co-wrote in 1967. It became a hit for the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
So, at the gala, Aretha came out to sing it for her.
She walked onto the stage in a long fur coat, sat down at the piano, and played the opening notes herself. Watching from her seat among the honorees, Carole King could hardly contain herself, waving her arms in delight.
Not even a minute into the song, the camera found President Barack Obama, wiping a tear from his eye. Aretha had sung at his inauguration in 2009.
And she was only getting started.
Halfway through, Aretha stood up from the piano and walked to the front of the stage, still singing. Then she let her fur coat drop to the floor, revealing a sparkling gown. By then, the audience was already on its feet, cheering before the song had even ended.
Aretha was 73 years old that night, and she still sounded like no one else on earth. Around that time, she said she would never retire. “That wouldn’t be good, for one, just to go somewhere and sit down and do nothing,” she said.
Aretha Franklin passed away in August 2018. But whenever someone wants to know why she was called the Queen of Soul, this is the video to show them.
Do you remember where you were when you first heard Aretha sing? Share this with a friend who loves her music.
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