Aretha's+life+now

Aretha was born March 25, 1942 she is now 68 years old. She is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged. In recent years Franklin's public appearances have engendered public debate and commentary on her alarming weight gain, spurring some writers to implore her to take better care of her health. In September, 2007 she was reported to have successfully lost weight by exercising on a treadmill. However, by December of the same year Franklin, in attendance at an awards night in Washington, was again clearly obese. In 2003, Franklin released her final studio album on Arista, //So Damn Happy // , and left the label to found Aretha Records. Two years later in 2005 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush and became the second woman ever to be inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame. In 2008, she received her 18th Grammy Award for " Never Gonna Break My Faith"—a collaboration with Mary J. Blige—and was tapped to sing at the 2009 inauguration of president Barack Obama. At the inauguration Franklin performed "My Country, Tis of Thee". On December 4, 2009, Aretha Franklin performed in EMPAC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to celebrate RPI's President Shirley Ann Jackson's10th year of being tenured. Recently, Franklin's released her first album on her own label, //A Woman Falling Out of Love // .
 * __​Aretha Franklins life now __**



--Gabby Torney