Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin, commonly known as the ‘Queen of Soul’ is a woman with many talents, known as a singer, song writer and pianist, one thing that isn’t widely known about this artist is that she is diabetic.
Born in Memphis in 1942, Aretha is one of six children. The family moved often, leaving Memphis for Buffalo and then for Detroit, all before her fifth birthday. Shortly after settling in Detroit, Franklin’s parents split.
Her father was a Baptist minister and, due to his obligations to his church, often left young Aretha with her grandmother. At the age of ten, Aretha learned that her mother had died in Buffalo. She turned to her faith and was able to find an outlet for her grief through choir and gospel music.

To list off her achievements is to chronicle a career that has successfully withstood the changing trends within the musical industry, reinvented itself repeatedly, and inspired countless future performers. Rolling Stone magazine has Aretha Franklin ranked at the top of its list of the “Greatest Singers of All Time.” She has won eighteen competitive Grammy Awards, including two honorary awards for “Lifetime Achievement” and “Living Legend.” She has two No.1 hits on Billboard magazine’s “Hot 100 list “and, since 1961, has achieved a total of forty-five “Top 40” hits. In 1987, Aretha Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

However diagnosed with diabetes type 2, this legend has not let having the condition interfere with a career stretching over fifty years and should therefore be an inspiration to anyone.