*There was a time in my hometown Detroit when everything seemed so magical! As I watched the movie “Respect” about the life of Aretha Franklin this past weekend, I was reminded of that space in time. Detroit, and Michigan at large, is so rich in history of which I am learning more through the writings (22 book volumes) of Michigan historian Larry B. Massie.
The movie which starred singer/actress Jennifer Hudson, followed pretty much the same story line and depictions as the made-for-TV production of “Genius: Aretha” which aired on TV channels in March 2021. However, “Respect” brought deeper clarity to the powers-that-be of that era. The gravity and influence of Aretha’s father, Reverend Clarence “C.L.” Franklin (Forest Whitaker), were on a national level from touring on the gospel circuit and the popular recordings of his dynamic sermons. He was a staunch supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King’s non-violence crusade, and was instrumental in organizing the 1963 march on Detroit which preceded the march on Washington D.C. His lifestyle was regal, and he demanded that Aretha and the rest of the family walk in the path of royalty he had laid out for them.
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The Franklin family had become an institution that the who’s who of the day flocked to (as mentioned in the movie) including the fiery Dinah Washington (Mary J. Blige), gospel great James Cleveland (Tituss Burgess), gospel singer Clara Ward (Heather Headley), and Smokey Robinson (Lodric D. Collins). A biography: The Life of Aretha Franklin by author David Ritz (review) lists other celebrities like Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Count Basie and Duke Ellington as some of the guests that frequented the home where Aretha grew up.
The other institutions that made Detroit so magical at that time were Motown Records founded by Berry Gordy, the “Big Three” – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler; and one of the best school systems in the country. If you grew up in Detroit, as you watch the movie, you may feel a sense of pride well up in you as it did me. And the good news is that Detroit in on the rise again!
I highly recommend this movie that features some stellar performances by all the actors including Marlon Wayans who played Aretha’s first husband Ted White. Hudson, who gave a queenly performance, not only nailed a sound-alike Aretha vocal performance, but was able to weave her own stylings in the songs to show the audience why Aretha handpicked her for the role. A regal performance all around!!
Larry Buford is a Los Angeles-based contributing writer. Author of “Things Are Gettin’ Outta Hand” and “Book To The Future” (Amazon); two insightful books that speak to our moral conscience in times like these. Email: LBuford8101@hotmail.com
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