March 25 - Aretha! Elton!

nPosted on March 25, 2020

Key Points

nThere are a few famous people whose first names are all we know (well, all many of us know, I guess): Cher, Beyonce, Madonna.

And there are other famous people whose first and last names are generally used – but in context, they need only their first.

In the context of musicians who rose to stardom in the 1960s, there’s only one Aretha and only one Elton!

nAretha Franklin, born in Tennessee on this date in 1942, became the Queen of Soul with hits like Respect, Chain of Fools, and Think. She won a TON of well-deserved honors –
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nneverything from 18 Grammy Awards to being #9 on the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list. She even won a Pulitzer Prize in 2019, a year after she died, for her contribution to music and culture.

nI want to mention that Franklin was involved in the struggle for civil rights, for women’s rights, and for Native American rights; she supported movements of Indigenous Peoples worldwide.

Elton John, born in England on this date in 1947, is one of the best-selling artists of all times. He’s sold more than 300 million records! His song Candle in the Wind 1997, rewritten from a previous hit in dedication to Diana, Princess of Wales, is the best-selling single in the history of the UK charts AND in the history of US charts. Of course John has won tons of awards and honors as well as racked up huge sales!

nElton John is still touring, I believe, but at age 72, he is on what he calls his “farewell tour.” I wanted to mention that this iconic performer is well known for his activism for the LGBT community and his work to fight AIDS.

nValuable wisdom from the March 25 musicians: