Bidding a legend farewell
I find it interesting that among all of Aretha Franklin’s incredible talent and her ability to cross over and master such diverse musical genres as R&B, soul, rock, pop and even classic opera, it’s her gospel album “Amazing Grace” [“The Gospel According to Aretha Franklin,” Aug. 17] that remains her biggest-selling commercial achievement.
To me, it says that Franklin, like Elvis Presley — whose gospel recordings are also epic — was at her core a sensitive, sometimes troubled/challenged soul, deeply connected to her religious upbringing and spiritual self. Both died on the same date in August. I guess that’s going to make quite a duet in heaven, somewhere. Rick Solomon Lake Balboa
Franklin was the premier soul singer of her day and a terrific piano player. Unfortunately, August Brown went completely overboard describing her as the be-all and end-all of artistic achievement [“Pop Music as We Know It Would Not Exist Without Her,” Aug. 18]. His hyperbole-driven pronouncements (“Without her, nothing comes after”) were preposterous and insulting to intelligent readers. It was enough to make Bill Walton wince. Despite Brown’s dire predictions, I think the world will keep on spinning. Charles Reilly Manhattan Beach
In “Mavis Staples Reflects on Gospel According to ‘Ree’ ” [Aug. 16], why not explain more about “the man’s version” of “Respect,” where Otis Redding wanted sex to show him respect?
Redding wanted s-e-x for r-e-s-p-e-c-t, but luckily and fortunately, Franklin got back the respect for the female gender.
That article missed the entire point of the reason, the purpose and the goals she sang that song for and the fierceness behind it. Michele F. Fogel Los Angeles