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Yolanda Adams
Yolanda Adams
American gospel singer and actress
1
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas
American soul and rhythm and blues singer
2
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
American actress and singer
3
Bettye LaVette
Bettye LaVette
American soul singer-songwriter
4
The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters
American gospel vocal group
5
Etta James
Etta James
American recording artist; singer
6
Karen Clark Sheard
Karen Clark Sheard
American musician and songwriter
7
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer
8
Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
American singer-songwriter and musician (1945-1979)
9
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
American gospel singer, evangelist
10
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
American singer and actress (1963-2012)
11
Erma Franklin
Erma Franklin
American recording artist; gospel and soul singer
12
Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress from New York
13
James Cleveland
James Cleveland
American musician
14
Joss Stone
Joss Stone
English singer and actress
15
Cissy Houston
Cissy Houston
American singer
16
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
American singer from Vallejo, California
17
Ray Charles
Ray Charles
American recording artist; musician, singer, songwriter
18
Ledisi
Ledisi
American R&B and jazz recording artist, songwriter and actress.
19
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
American recording artist; singer-songwriter and entrepreneur
20
Thomas Whitfield
Thomas Whitfield
American gospel singer
21
Jerry Wexler
Jerry Wexler
American music journalist and producer
22
Sheléa
Sheléa
African-American singer, songwriter
23
Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner
American musical duo
24
Al Green
Al Green
American singer
25
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
American country music singer
26
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
American singer, musician, composer and actress
27
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
American band
28
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
American singer-songwriter and musician
29
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
American singer
30
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
American singer–songwriter, actress, spokesperson
31
Tina Turner
Tina Turner
American-born singer, dancer, actress, and author; naturalized Swiss citizen
32
Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
American singer and songwriter
33
Sweet Inspirations
Sweet Inspirations
American R&B vocal group
34
Kelly Price
Kelly Price
American songwriter, singer
35
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams
American rock, folk, blues, and country music singer, songwriter and musician
36
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Blind Boys of Alabama
gospel group from Alabama, United States
37
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
American singer
38
Tevin Campbell
Tevin Campbell
US singer-songwriter, actor
39
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
American singer-songwriter and actress
40
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
American singer, songwriter, and television personality
41
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
American recording artist; singer-songwriter, actress, and television personality
42
Bill Withers
Bill Withers
American singer-songwriter and musician
43
Richard Smallwood
Richard Smallwood
American singer
44
Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross
American singer, songwriter, and record producer (1951-2005)
45
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
American singer, songwriter, pianist
46
Lizzo
Lizzo
American singer, rapper, songwriter, and flutist
47
Ashford & Simpson
Ashford & Simpson
songwriting-production team
48
Angie Stone
Angie Stone
American singer and actress
49
Deborah Allen
Deborah Allen
American country music singer, songwriter, author, and actress
50
Four Tops
Four Tops
American Motown vocal group
51
Tamia
Tamia
Canadian musician and singer
52
Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas
American vocal group
53
Samuel David Moore
Samuel David Moore
American musician
Intro
American singer, songwriter, and pianist
Awards Received
National Medal of Arts
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Grammy Legend Award
MusiCares Person of the Year
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
American Music Award
American Music Award
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Favorite Soul/R&B Album
American Music Award
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
American Music Award
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Kennedy Center Honors
Grammy Hall of Fame
NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award
Grammy Hall of Fame
Grammy Hall of Fame
Grammy Hall of Fame
Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance
Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance
Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
Grammy Hall of Fame
Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards
honorary doctor of Harvard University
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Nominated For
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance American Music Award American Music Award Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance American Music Award Favorite Soul/R&B Album Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance American Music Award Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance American Music Award Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video Soul Train Music Award for Best Gospel Album – Group or Band Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female Soul Train Music Award for Best Gospel Album – Solo Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best R&B Album Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Grammy Award for Best R&B Album Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Female Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Duo or Group Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
News

Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer and pianist. Franklin began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father C. L. Franklin was a minister. At the age of 18, she embarked on a secular-music career as a recording artist for Columbia Records. While Franklin's career did not immediately flourish, she found acclaim and commercial success after signing with Atlantic Records in 1966. Hit songs such as "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools", "Think" and "I Say a Little Prayer" propelled her past her musical peers. By the end of the 1960s, Franklin had come to be known as the "Queen of Soul".

Franklin continued to record acclaimed albums such as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967), Lady Soul (1968), Spirit in the Dark (1970), Young, Gifted and Black (1972), Amazing Grace (1972), and Sparkle (1976) before experiencing problems with her record company. Franklin left Atlantic in 1979 and signed with Arista Records. She appeared in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers before releasing the successful albums Jump to It (1982), Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985), and Aretha (1986) on the Arista label. In 1998, Franklin returned to the Top 40 with the Lauryn Hill-produced song "A Rose Is Still a Rose"; later, she released an album of the same name which was certified gold. That same year, Franklin earned international acclaim for her performance of "Nessun dorma" at the Grammy Awards where she filled in at the last minute for Luciano Pavarotti, who canceled his appearance after the show had already begun. In a widely noted performance, she paid tribute to 2015 honoree Carole King by singing "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Franklin recorded 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries, and 20 number-one R&B singles. Besides the foregoing, Franklin's well-known hits also include "Ain't No Way", "Call Me", "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Spanish Harlem", "Rock Steady", "Day Dreaming", "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)", "Something He Can Feel", "Jump to It", "Freeway of Love", "Who's Zoomin' Who", and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (a duet with George Michael). She won 18 Grammy Awards, including the first eight awards given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (1968–1975). Franklin is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide.

Franklin received numerous honors throughout her career. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1987, she became the first female performer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She also was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked her number one on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" and number nine on its list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2019 awarded Franklin a posthumous special citation "for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades". In 2020, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.