By Aaris A. Schroeder
Editor-In-Chief
We lost another great: Aretha Franklin, “The Queen Of Soul.” We lost Aretha on August 16 due to her struggle with pancreatic cancer at 76-years-old. This was a shock to most fans.
Her music was an inspiration while I was growing up and even modernly, her music was sampled by many HipHop artists. Aretha was not just a gospel turn signed (to Columbia and Atlantic Records at different times) singer but she also supported and was at the forefront in the Civil Rights Movement, working directly with Martin Luther King Junior, Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis (of whom she offered to post bail for when wrongfully imprisoned) and continued to be involved. 
Aretha was given the opportunity to sing for Bill Clintonʻs White House Corespondantʻs dinner and at the national anthem at Jimmy Carter, Clinton and Barack Obamaʻs inauguration, among many other musical and political events.
“I know you got to disturb the peace, when you canʻt get no peace.” Aretha Franklin says. Her words spoken about freeing Angela Davis and words that over the years have caused many look up to Aretha for inspiration in so many ways.
There has been an outpouring of respect and love for Aretha since her passing. Below is one of many favorite songs I love by Aretha Franklin.
In this video, she is performing, “Rocksteady” at Soul Train. Rest peacefully, Aretha and know your music is going to live on!
