Music The evolution of Aretha Franklin By Seija Rankin Seija Rankin Seija Rankin is the former books editor at Entertainment Weekly. She left EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines Published on March 25, 2018 09:00AM EDT Close 01 of 22 Aretha Franklin through the years Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images Nothing makes us feel more natural than praising the awesomeness of Aretha Franklin. Today marks her 76th birthday, and what a ride it's been. The singer was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1942 and released her first album, Song of Faith, in 1956. She's had an enviable career that has included and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a host of gold and platinum albums. R-E-S-P-E-C-T indeed. Click on to see memorable moments from her life and career. 02 of 22 Signing a contract with Atlantic Records in 1966 PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 03 of 22 With husband and manager Ted White in 1968 Roger Bamber/ANL/REX/Shutterstock 04 of 22 Living up the swingin' '60s Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images 05 of 22 Rocking a diamond ring in an undated photo Getty Images 06 of 22 Holding a Grammy Award in 1970 Tim Boxer/Getty Images 07 of 22 Aretha Franklin with her father and sister in 1971 Anthony Barboza/Getty Images 08 of 22 Aretha Franklin in Los Angeles in 1980 Harry Langdon/Getty Images 09 of 22 Onstage at the NBA All-Star Game in 1985 Paul Natkin/Getty Images 10 of 22 Taping an HBO special with James Brown in 1987 Joe Kennedy/AP/REX/Shutterstock 11 of 22 Backstage at Radio City Music Hall with Oprah Winfrey in 1991 Waring Abbott/Getty Images 12 of 22 Aretha Franklin, Donald Trump, Clive Davis, and Marla Maples attend a 1992 Grammy Party Waring Abbott/Getty Images 13 of 22 On the red carpet of the 39th annual Grammy Awards in 1997 KATHY WILLENS/AP/REX/Shutterstock 14 of 22 Receiving the 1999 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award STEPHEN JAFFE/AFP/Getty Images 15 of 22 Performing as part of VH1 Divas 2001: The One and Only Aretha Franklin SUZANNE PLUNKETT/AP/REX/Shutterstock 16 of 22 Performing at the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama in 2009 REX/Shutterstock 17 of 22 Addressing the graduates of New York University in 2014 Frank Franklin II/AP/REX/Shutterstock 18 of 22 On Late Night With Seth Meyers in 2015 Jon Pack/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images 19 of 22 Aretha Franklin at Lincoln Center in 2015 Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Jazz at Lincoln Center 20 of 22 Aretha Franklin's birthday party in 2015 Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock 21 of 22 Attending the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 25th anniversary gala in 2017 Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock 22 of 22 Aretha Franklin performs at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival Taylor Hill/Getty Images