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The Queen of Soul’s last testament, found down the back of her sofa, has all the makings of a great detective novel
2022 features the golden anniversaries of significant albums in music history
The film is at its best when it shows the great singer creating her music
The star and showrunner of new series ‘Genius: Aretha’ reflect on how the singer transformed her troubles ‘into solid gold’
What to wear in the afterlife? Aretha Franklin’s stunning send-off has put new focus on an extremely niche business
Extraordinary vocal talent whose songs epitomised black power and women’s liberation
Franklin turned Otis Redding’s call for wifely submission into a song for women tired of being disrespected by men
Soul, country, folk and rock artists have covered the song
As the first compendium of the FT’s weekly Life of a Song column is published, its co-editor charts the history of songwriting
The Rolling Stones song is a rejection of the white heat of consumerism
The song has been on a long and varied journey, picking up passengers along the way
The one-size-fits-all spiritual began as a redemption hymn composed by a slaver
This year’s festival was dominated by the rhythms and textures of urban America
The musicianship is polished and proficient, a respectful backdrop for Lady Soul
After his audition, Njabulo Madlala was offered a full scholarship on the spot
Bobby Womack, Singer-songwriter, 1944-2014
A forestry business offers musician Chuck Leavell a respite from touring with The Rolling Stones
The 18-member troupe was intent on establishing its ballet and street cred, its grounding in classicism and in black experience
Though there is a conceptual void at the heart of this exhibition, it’s a provocative show that’s impossible to dismiss
Whitney Houston sold more than 170m records – but will also be remembered for her downfall
The imagery is gothic and the mood billows with drama
The man who started as a singing waiter tells Ludovic Hunter-Tilney about his 70-year career and what he wishes he’d said to Amy Winehouse
British singer, 27, was found dead at her London home on Saturday
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