Sylvia Rhone Relinquishes Motown Spot

Sylvia Rhone has resigned as president of Universal Motown with GM Pat Monaco taking over the day-to-day operations of Universal Motown, while UMG looks for a replacement. UMG said in a statement that it remains “committed to [Universal Motown] as a strong presence in the contemporary music scene. We will soon announce important additions to the staff and will further invest in building its artist roster so Motown can continue to bring to market the highest quality music that is best positioned to succeed artistically and commercially.”

Rhone was named president of Universal Motown in 2004. “We’re thankful to Sylvia for her contributions,” said a Universal statement. “We continue to be in discussions with her on how and where she can best utilize her skills and relationships in the multiple rights arena in which UMG continues to expand.”

Before running Motown, Rhone was the top executive at Elektra Records. In a career that spanned three decades, she has jump started and maintained the successful careers of a variety of artists, including many that remain hot today, such as Lil Wayne, Akon and Nicki Minaj.

ALLEN TOUSSAINT The “Southern Knight” Enters the Songwriters Hall of Fame

By Hedi Butler

Photo by Michael Wilson

The remarkable career of Allen Toussaint has now spanned half a century and embodies — like few others – the inimitable spirit, soul and rich traditions of New Orleans music. But he has consistently defied the limitations of genre with his chameleon-like ability to bring his creative genius to blues and rock, country and classical, musical theatre and movie scores, television themes and even award-winning commercials.

As one of the most prolific composers, producers and arrangers of our time, Toussaint had already written and recorded some of his most enduring hits while barely in his 20s. It was the beginning of an eventful journey that would take him from his home in the heart of the Crescent City to diverse national and worldwide venues. And it continues today.

Along the way, his influence transcended his deeply embedded roots as a seminal force in New Orleans R&B, as well as the indigenous music of the city, to encompass highly successful collaborations and covers of selections from his vast songbook, which includes more than 600 compositions, by artists throughout the spectrum of popular music. In fact, it has been noted that Toussaint’s songs were “crossing over” long before the term was coined.

The list of those who have worked with or performed Toussaint music is itself a veritable industry who’s who: Pop/Rock’s Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Boz Scaggs, Joe Cocker, Mac “Dr. John” Renneback, The Band, Little Feat, Devo, Johnny Winter; Country’s The Judds, Glen Campbell, Bonnie Raitt; R&B’s Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Esther Phillips, Etta James, Aaron and Art Neville, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey, The (original) Meters; Jazz artists Manhattan Transfer, Ramsey Lewis and Eric Gale; and Hip Hop’s Heavy D and the Boyz – among countless others.

When BRE talked to Toussaint shortly before his June 16^th induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with Garth Brooks, Leon Russell and others, the man who found a comfort zone behind the scenes for much of his career had just returned from the road. At 73, he shows no signs of slowing down, as long as there are audiences everywhere who want to experience a memorable performance by an authentic legend whose material is timeless.

Called the “Southern Knight,” a reference to his 1977 Grammy-nominated mega-hit “Southern Nights” recorded by Campbell, Toussaint clearly embodies many of the qualities associated with such courtly graciousness. Indeed, his modest, soft-spoken manner as he shared the backstory of his formidable musicianship belied his status as an industry giant.

“It was love at first touch,” he said, speaking of his initial encounter with the piano that entered his home as a gift from his aunt intended for his sister. “At that time, it was considered ‘dignified’ for a young lady to play piano or violin.”

While his sister lost interest, young Allen – only six at the time – was fascinated. “I loved the pleasant sound it made and that inspired my lifelong enthusiasm for the piano,” he recalled. “I understood the structure of the black and white keys and soon picked out innocent melodies on the keyboard. Then I tried to imitate everything I’d hear on the radio.” A budding songwriter was born.

His mother, a classical music buff, enrolled him in a junior music school, hoping he’d approach the study of piano in a more genteel way. “After about eight lessons, I was done,” he says. “By then the boogie woogie had me.”

With all of the various influences in New Orleans, always a great piano town, the aspiring artist was convinced he’d have to learn a repertoire of all kinds of music if he was going to compete. “I didn’t realize there were specialists in different genres. So I just tackled all of it because I loved it all and I still do.”

He was particularly impressed by the flamboyant playing style of the city’s reigning master, Professor Longhair, and is still considered one of his disciples. “He just floored me,” he says. “I wanted everything he had.” Toussaint shared scenes with his idol in a 1982 documentary, Piano Players Rarely Play Together.

In retrospect, Toussaint attributes the versatility for which he is so highly praised today to that “ill-thinking” early exposure. “I was wrong, but it put me on the road to the career I’ve had that has allowed me to work with so many artists in so many genres of music. And it’s been such a wonderful road.”

Toussaint has indeed crossed many paths since he got his first break as a teenager, standing in for Huey “Piano” Smith at a gig with Earl King’s band in Alabama. Toussaint later replaced Smith in local duo Shirley and Lee’s band and got his first taste of touring with memorable appearances at Harlem’s fabled Apollo Theatre and Washington’s Howard Theatre, among others.

Back home in New Orleans, he began to perform regularly in local nightclubs and with another young pianist, Dr. John, he starting playing studio sessions. Thanks to the two-sided 45-rpm vinyl format of that era, the need for B-side material created an outlet for developing his songwriting skills.

“Sometimes an artist would have one song to record, but they needed two,” he said in a recent interview. “Whoever was in charge would come to me and say, ‘Do you have any songs?’ So when we took a break from recording, I wrote a song, because I knew the general structure.”

“As time went on, I took writing more seriously,” he continued. “But it seemed so natural to do. A plot with a few good verses, a few good lines, and it worked.”

By the time he was recruited by Joe Banashak and his partner, local radio personality Larry McKinley, to join their newly formed Minit Records in 1960, Toussaint had acquired the skills to supervise the label’s recording activities. He became a virtual one-stop-shop for the company as writer, producer, arranger and A&R man. And the course of his future was set.

In the early ‘60s, he wrote and/or produced and arranged a string of hits for the label’s artists, including Ernie K-Doe (“Mother-In-Law”), Irma Thomas (“Ruler of My Heart”), later recorded by Otis Redding as “Pain in My Heart,” Jessie Hill (“Ooh Poo Pah Doo”), among others. Many of his songs from this period, including “Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)” and “Fortune Teller,” both initially recorded by Benny Spellman, were covered by many pop/rock stars.

Toussaint’s songwriting career was also bolstered when two of his earliest instrumental compositions were mega-hits for two trumpeters: “Java” became a signature for fellow New Orleanian Al Hirt and Herb Alpert soared with “Whipped Cream,” later used as the familiar theme for “The Dating Game.”

While the ‘70s found him more immersed in the funkier sounds of New Orleans – writing and producing for The Meters, Dr. John, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians – he also kept his chops in other genres through working with artists such as B.J. Thomas and Boz Scaggs, who recorded Toussaint’s “What Do You Want the Girl to Do?” on his chart-topping 1976 album Silk Degrees.

Returning to his New Orleans base, Toussaint’s collaboration with Lee Dorsey produced another powerhouse of hits: “Working in the Coal Mine” (later recorded by Devo and The Judds) “Holy Cow,” “Ride Your Pony” and “Yes We Can Can,” a signature hit for The Pointer Sisters.

In 1973, the New Orleans music man partnered with Marshall Sehorn to open Sea-Saint, the city’s first 24-track recording studio. With LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” and Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time” striking gold, Toussaint’s studio attracted other artists who wanted a touch of the Crescent City mojo – from Paul McCartney and Wings to New Edition, from Joe Cocker to Etta James, and lots of homegrown talent.

In the ensuing years, Toussaint’s decades of writing, producing, recording, arranging, performing and conducting were recognized with his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Grammy Trustees Award, The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and a Grammy nomination (Pop/Vocal Album of the Year) for his collaboration with Elvis Costello, The River in Reverse.

It was, in fact, the life-altering impact of Hurricane Katrina that led the man for whom New Orleans was practically a part of his DNA to relocate to New York while his home was being rebuilt. Ironically, Toussaint lived in the shadow of the fairgrounds, the home of the annual Jazz and Heritage Fest in which he has been such a pivotal participant over the years.

With the lower level of his home flooded by seven feet of water at one point, he lost many irreplaceable items from his illustrious career. But with the post-Katrina loss of so many lives and livelihoods, he considered himself fortunate and joined other Crescent City musical expatriates in practically nonstop fundraising concerts and albums. He also forged new relationships with artists including Costello, with whom his creative synergy was magical.

Elton John has compared meeting him to “someone the equivalent of the Dalai Lama because for me, he influenced the way I played the piano….” When BRE asked about this cultural affinity with English musicians, Toussaint replied with typical modesty: “We take our music for granted here because it’s always been with us; not just the musicians, but the people,” he observed. “But when those from other places heard this special brand of music, they were delighted and it fit very well. That’s why the collaborations between our music and other musicians have been excellent.”

And that is also why Allen Toussaint music will continue to live on throughout the world.

REFLECTIONS ON ALLEN TOUSSAINT

“Allen Toussaint is simply one of the most talented musicians, songwriters and producers of all time. When I first met him playing piano in a club in New Orleans, I knew I wanted him on our team at Minit Records. He went on to write so many hits for us, including Ernie K-Doe’s classic ‘Mother- in-Law,’ and he was key to the success of our company. Despite the enormity of his talent, he was at one time underrated, but no longer. The world now recognizes this man for the true musical genius and creative force that he has always been. But don’t box him in to New Orleans music. He makes ‘Allen Toussaint music’ and that says it all.” –Larry McKinley, former New Orleans radio personality and co-owner of Minit Records

“It’s about time that Allen Toussaint’s great contributions as a songwriter are being honored. It is well deserved and long overdue. He is such a quiet, beautiful person who’s so easy to work with and fully qualified. At the beginning of his career, he played piano for me on recording sessions when Fats (Domino) was on the road. Allen is a master who can hold his own with anybody, anywhere. Congratulations, my friend!”–Dave Bartholemew, legendary New Orleans musician and longtime Fats Domino collaborator

“During the early ‘60s, I lived in New Orleans and hung out at the musicians’ hall on Claiborne to sit in with my trumpet. Whenever Allen Toussaint came to jam with us, he was always introducing new rhythmic sounds – a true genius! And few have shared those sounds with the world like he has!”–Sidney Miller, Founder, Black Radio Exclusive

“Allen Toussaint inspired all of us and it’s an honor to play his music in my shows. You mean to say he’s just going into the Songwriters Hall of Fame? Man, what took them so long!”–Trombone Shorty, New Orleans musician and bandleader

“It has been one of the true joys of my life to be able to work with my father. He has been a teacher for my life and I’ve learned so many things from the way he handles his career. I’ve admired the way he treats people and the way people speak of him in return, which is always so favorable and lovely. My dad has handled his accolades and success with such humility and is truly a spiritual model for me. The trust he has placed in both my brother Reginald and me is beyond measure and it has made us want to do our best to make sure his illustrious career continues in the manner – and even better – than when we were put at the helm of it all. He has been a constant on the music scene our entire lives and has maintained dignity, integrity and his sense of self along the way. Reginald and I are truly honored that he has put his faith in us to be a part of his professional life, while remaining such an outstanding father and friend. We are so proud to be his children. –Alison Toussaint-LeBeaux and Reginald Toussaint

Toussaint Productions

ARETHA DOES ARETHA “A Woman Falling Out of Love”… and into A New Era

By Hedi Butler

Photos by Matthew Jordan Smith

In royal circles, the doctrine of the “divine right of kings” is generally understood to mean that the monarch can do no wrong. And so it is with the reigning Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, whose realm transcends geography, genres and generations.

Her voice – dubbed a ‘National Treasure’ by many – is a singular musical signature with which she has autographed her formidable body of work with excellence for over half a century.

So let there be no doubt that the Queen has earned the right to do it her way. It is the privilege of her crown. Thus, the recent release of her 38^th album, A Woman Falling Out of Love, marks much more than a triumphant return to the recording scene after an eight-year absence following her amicable departure from Arista, her longtime label home.

While she famously enjoyed a great relationship (still intact) and creative partnership with the legendary Clive Davis, whom she calls “one of the last of the great record men out there,” this time, she has independently released and executive produced a new album on her own Aretha Records.

Why take on the mantle of label head now? “It was just high time for me to do my own thing,” she has said. “I’ve certainly had enough experience over the years to do it.” And the autonomy to take her time with the project and allow Aretha to do Aretha.

Some three years in the making – produced and recorded between her busy schedule of concerts, commercials and other pursuits – A Woman Falling Out of Love was distributed exclusively at Walmart Stores and Walmart.com from its May 3 release through June 3, when it when became available to all digital retailers and other stores.

Although her business approach to her recording career is a departure, what remains unchanged is the Queen’s sure-footed ability to showcase her magnificent vocal instrument and effortless mastery of diverse material and styles that has become her hallmark.

The 12-song album, a satisfying listening experience from the first cut to the last, serves notice on anyone who may have wondered whether her fabled pipes and unmistakable delivery were still vintage Aretha – the answer is a resounding yes! She meticulously selected a program of music, much of which she produced herself, that includes old and new, classic blues and R&B ballads, jazzy scats and soul-tingling gospel selections that take listeners back to church in the most inspiring way.

The album opens with “How Long I’ve Been Waiting,” also the lead single, a lushly produced Aretha original that invites a long-desired love to come into her life. She returns as writer-producer on “This You Should Know,” a beautiful confessional that closes the door on a “323” relationship that can neither live nor completely die. With her piano driving the arrangements, her message resonates personally and musically.

Curtis Boone contributes two tracks that are standouts. The first, “U Can’t See Me,” dismisses a would-be suitor as Aretha reminds us that she can hold her own in a style evocative of Ella that will appeal to multiple demos. The second, “When 2 Become One,” is a hit-bound ballad with a similar jazzy feel but a more sensuously romantic theme for lovers and would-be lovers.

Her duet with Ronnie Isley, with whom she literally grew up in the industry since their teen years, gives a new dimension of meaning to the classic “The Way We Were,” as it unites two of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary recording scene.

“Put It Back Together Again,” written by Norman West, is another worthy addition to the Aretha songbook and features the Queen at her most expressive as she seeks to renew a broken relationship.

Producer Sanchez G. Harley oversees Aretha’s stirring duet with Karen Clark-Sheard of the celebrated Clark Sisters, with vocal arrangements by Richard Smallwood and Nathan Young, while Derrick Lee’s piano drives the rhythm section.

The bonus track, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” adds a historic note for good measure as Aretha replicates her performance at the 2009 Obama Inaugural.

The album cover reveals a sassy, playful and confident Aretha in ultimate girlfriend mode played out in chatty liner notes. She offers woman-to-woman advice on how to avoid or move on from failed relationships – like the one of her own that inspired the album’s title, although there is no title track.

There are, however, helpful tips in the lyrics of the songs on the album, she says. And in her own ready-to-get-back-in-the-game photo: “This is how you’re supposed to look when you’re a woman falling out of love.”

BRE founder and publisher Sidney Miller Jr. previewed the concept and content of the album in his cover story that shared impressions and conversations while accompanying his longtime friend during her tour stops last year from Washington, DC to Hollywood, Florida – with a birthday celebration in Boca Raton in between.

In “Aretha Takes Charge,” she disclosed to him that she had reached that place in her life, nearing her seventh decade, when she was ready to call her own shots and take full creative control of her career. After all, she had become her own manager following the untimely 1989 death of her brother, Cecil Franklin.

A Woman Falling Out of Love, she predicted, would be the quintessential expression of her own vision, with several tracks on which she had served as producer and/or songwriter. “We worked long and hard to come up with what we have done and I feel real good about this album,” she told Miller prior to the album’s release.

But the journey between the earlier BRE story and this one, which celebrates her new project and Aretha herself during Black Music Month, is filled with dramatic twists and turns that captured a world stage as only a royal personage of her stature can.

Lest anyone needs to be reminded of her lineage as the undisputed Queen of Soul, here’s a crash course. Born in Memphis and reared in Detroit, the city she still proudly calls home, Aretha Louise Franklin displayed her musical gifts at an early age. Her childhood friend Smokey Robinson recalls Aretha as a prodigy who “could play complex gospel chords at six or seven” and “soared vocally” even then.

She began singing at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, pastored by her father, the renowned orator and recording artist, Rev. C. L. Franklin, a friend and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By the age of 14, Aretha had recorded her first album of gospel music, a powerful influence that she would later combine with blues, jazz and pop to forge a sound that would “speak to the younger generation in the new language of soul.”

Aretha’s shift from her gospel roots to secular music came when she was signed by Columbia Records at 18 and was groomed by uber-record man John Hammond to sing jazz and standards such as “Skylark,” which she did impressively. Then producer Clyde Otis steered her to a string of R&B hits including “Running Out of Fools,” and “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” among others.

But Aretha’s reign as the Queen of Soul truly started at Atlantic Records, where her production chemistry with Jerry Wexler took the genre to another level. Accompanying herself on piano, she co-produced and belted out classics starting with “I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Loved You)” and reaching a zenith with her re-working of Otis Redding’s “Respect” as an anthem that resonated with all groups suffering discrimination – from women to the civil rights movement.

The soundtrack for the ‘60s was filled with Aretha’s hits: “Dr. Feelgood,” “Chain of Fools,” Do Right Woman—Do Right Man.” She opened the ‘70s with the critically acclaimed Spirit in the Dark, Young Gifted and Black, Live at Fillmore West and Amazing Grace, touted as “the most successful gospel album ever made.”

While the latter years of that decade would witness the rise of disco and knock many of her peers off the charts, she survived by the sheer force of her extraordinary talent. By this time, her place in the pantheon of soul singers was firmly established and she left Atlantic in 1979 after 12 years and 19 albums.

The ‘80s signaled the start of her Arista years under the aegis of Clive Davis. Once again, she attracted stellar producers such as a young Luther Vandross (“Jump To It”) and Narada Michael Walden (“Freeway of Love” and “Who’s Zooming Who”). In 1987, a duet with George Michael (“I Knew You Were Waiting [For Me]”) gave the Queen the second Number One hit of her career, exactly 20 years after “Respect” topped the charts.

Other collaborations with British rockers further broadened Aretha’s exposure in the late ‘80s: Rolling Stone Keith Richards (“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”) from the Whoopi Goldberg movie of the same name and Elton John (“Through the Storm”).

In 1987, Aretha became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – ironically joining Jerry Wexler, who had played such a pivotal role in her ascendance as the greatest soul singer of our time, in that year. Seven years later, in 1994, she scored another milestone as the youngest Kennedy Center Honoree.

After scaling the charts once again in 1998 with “A Rose is Still a Rose,” written and produced by the talented Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin demonstrated her extraordinary artistic versatility by stepping in for an ailing Luciano Pavarotti and brilliantly performing an operatic aria at the 40^th Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall.

As Wexler observed from his unique vantage point, “If you look over the arc of her career, there is no American musical artist who has achieved her level of accomplishment.” And her success is quantified by having charted more Top Forty singles – 45 in all since 1961 – than any other female performer.

But it is qualified by the fact that just the mention of the name “Aretha” is a subliminal evocation to that deepest, purest, most soulful part of each listener’s sensibilities that no other entity can occupy. As Ray Charles aptly put it: “There are singers, and then there is Aretha.”

Rolling Stone made it official by placing her at the top of its compilation of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. But her 18 Grammys (20 including her two special awards), millions of records sold, and barrier-breaking accomplishments and accolades, say it all. Is there any wonder her voice is, according to Mary J. Blige, “the reason why women want to sing”?

And why Aretha wannabes with powerful voices emerge regularly in every local church choir or “Respect”-belting vocalists take the stage hoping to wow audiences with her mystique at every talent search. Or other pretenders-to-her-throne attain some minor notoriety merely by being hyped by industry publicity machines as “the next Aretha.”

But make no mistake about it, there is only one. And that special quality has endowed the icon with an aura of invincibility that was severely tested when her hospitalization was announced late last year. Although she asked, through her representatives, that her privacy be respected as to the specific nature of her illness, the rumor mill ran rampant and worst-case-scenario headlines dominated the press and the blogosphere.

An enormous outpouring of concern and support from adoring fans around the world, as well as some of her closest industry friends, certainly warmed the Queen’s heart. Stevie Wonder was there when she came out of surgery and her spirits were bolstered by visits from Smokey Robinson and others, including Jesse Jackson and Tavis Smiley, who lovingly rallied to her side and were overjoyed – as was her family – when she was home before Christmas.

Of course, Detroit has always had great love for its hometown superstar, but never was it more visible than during a poignant candlelight prayer vigil for her health. “People in the checkout line said they prayed for me,” she said in a recent interview. “It’s amazing how beautiful people can be.”

It was from her home in the Motor City that the world first saw their answered prayers in the flesh, as a radiant and healthy-looking Aretha videotaped a greeting after her Grammy Tribute in February. An audience of millions had been wowed by a show-stopping medley of her music performed by a stellar multi-genre lineup including Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera and Florence Welch.

Fast forward to this past May. Millions more viewers – and a crowd of 13,000 in attendance – were thrilled to see the Queen of Soul, slimmed down and elegant in a white one-shoulder dress, take the stage of the United Center in Chicago at the surprise farewell celebration for the Queen of Media, Oprah Winfrey.

Introduced by Winfrey’s longtime partner, Stedman Graham, Aretha sang a rousing version of “Amazing Grace” – complete with her trademark spine-tingling gospel inflections – that brought down the house and moved the honoree to tears. Clearly, the Queen was back. And in rare form.

In a very real sense, Aretha Franklin is now experiencing a new chapter in her life, personally and artistically. She has aggressively taken charge of her health in the same way she is now exercising greater control of her career and ensuring that her legacy will continue under new management. Her own.

Since she began her doctor-ordered rest in late 2010, the newly revitalized Aretha is eager to resume her concert schedule and return the love her legions of fans expressed during her illness and subsequent recovery. She has even indicated that she may be ready to overcome her fear of flying to perform for audiences beyond the reach of her customized tour bus.

After all, experiencing a live performance by Aretha Franklin should be on every serious music lover’s bucket list. But if you’re simply in need of a current recorded Aretha fix, pick up or download A Woman Falling Out of Love – and fall in love with her music all over again.

ARETHA TALKS ARETHA – AND HER NEW ALBUM

A Conversation with Dr. Don Mizell

After sharing the worldwide concern about the health of one of our greatest artists – Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul – I could not believe that a mere eight months later, the lady with whom I was conducting a special BRE interview could exude such grace, peace, warmth and wisdom. I wondered how she had found the strength and perseverance to produce, write, arrange, perform and release a fantastic new album, A Woman Falling Out of Love. As usual, she was candid and forthcoming in a far-reaching conversation that covered her life and music today.

DM: First, congratulations on giving us once again another sample of your greatness as an artist. But I must ask how you turned your personal situation around so rapidly?

AF: Well, all glory to God! It is by God’s grace! Of course, I’ve been taking better care of myself. I’ve changed my diet and my attitude about it. I don’t eat like I used to anymore. Yes, I still love those things, but since they don’t love me back I’ve let them go, pretty much. Sort of like certain people and other romantic situations I may sing about. I think about nourishment, not just taste. Now it’s Whole Foods… more vegetables… organic foods. Less meat, less dairy. I’ve gotta watch that cholesterol intake. Trim the fat and watch the portions. And exercise. Lots of exercise.

DM: Sounds like a lot of discipline to me. Well, your singing on this album is sublime. Even though you are sometimes conveying romantic disappointment, you don’t sound really angry. You sound like everything is wrapped up in a big dose of loving kindness.

AF: Well, you learn to cool out. You develop a better understanding of people’s capacity…what others can be and do. You can’t make people be who you want them to be. They are who they are. They can’t be whom you might like. Accept that or leave it alone. People don’t own each other…you can just go ahead and fall out of love, you’ll be alright, and they will too. Don’t try to stay in love when it’s not the real thing. Learn to let go of things that are not the real thing, the whole thing…and know that it’s okay to go ahead and grow out of love.

DM: The album is called A Woman Falling Out of Love, but it sounds to me like there is a lot of love in this record… it’s very lush and dreamy…the kind of record you could fall in love to, and not just with.

AF: Well, I picked the songs I love. Just songs that have real meaning to me. Songs from my youth like ‘A Summer Place’ and my duet with Ronnie Isley, ‘The Way We Were’ have always been favorites since way back when. The lyrics are so beautiful. And Curtis Boone wrote a really gorgeous tune, ‘When Two Become One,’ that I think will really catch on.

DM: That BB King song, ‘Sweet Sixteen’ is truly sweet.

AF: Well, it’s funny, because the first time I heard that song I was around sixteen. It was my dear friend Ronnie Isley who was singing it in a club in Brooklyn called the Town Hill, and he was around that same age too. I wanted a blues song on the album and I chose it because I tried to have a little something for everybody.

DM: Your son’s original tune (“New Day” by Kecalf Franklin Cunningham) has a nice touch of hip hop to it. It’s very contemporary.

AF : Thank you, I’ll tell him.

DM: And your son Eddie sounds really good on the gospel track, ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow.’ It brings a pure traditional spiritual to the mix.

AF: Yes, I’m proud of him, and all my children, for that matter. I am going to release his (Eddie’s) album later in the year on my label. (Her son Ted White Jr. is the music director and guitarist in her touring band.)

DM: The album has a nice flow and feels kind of like a mood experience. Was that deliberate?

AF: No. I was not focused on my moods, or creating a mood, but more on my tastes, and the songs I like. I wanted to make a really musical record. It’s been a long time since people have heard some REAL music, not just something aimed at being commercial. Not a whole lot of artists are still all about real, whole music, although there are still a few doing it. This is for my fans who prayed for me and who have been there for me over the years. I love singing, I love recording, I love performing. It’s a gift from God and I love to share it.

DM: You wear a lot of hats on this record. You served as executive producer, produced and wrote some of the tracks, and released it on your own label. Why did you put yourself through so much work?

AF: I learned a long time ago about the importance of creative and business control, and the value of proper credit. When I was young I did a lot of the producing in the sessions, but I was not given the proper credit for my contributions. But one day I sent a friend of mine to go talk to Atlantic about it and since then I’ve kept that in mind. At this point I figure I should have complete control. I know enough, I’ve done enough. And sometimes too many spoons spoil the soup. And this is definitely Aretha’s soup and I’m a good cook.

DM: Well, it’s delicious.

AF: Next time, I will have a few more uptempo tracks. But otherwise, I’m just so thankful I’m receiving such a positive response from the industry, the press, and the public. It’s very gratifying.

DM: And so satisfying. How about radio, Black radio, you’ve got some radio- ready tracks. And your voice is in top form, classic Aretha.

AF: I still listen to radio myself. In fact, I love listening to Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey, Michael Baisden and others. I know the biz has changed, but for the good, in my opinion. There are lots of places artists can go now, other routes to get out there. The Internet has had a big impact and it’s actually easier for artists who want to do their own thing. Not just established artists like me, but all artists now have ways to develop their own opportunities. It’s a good thing. You don’t have to be a star to have creative control and make the music you want. Go for it, it’s a new day, and there are new ways to get out there.

DM: You included “My Country Tis of Thee,” the song you sang at the Obama Inauguration?

AF: I re-recorded it so people could finally hear it the way they were supposed to hear it then. I wasn’t too happy with my performance because it was just too cold to sing as well as I wanted. It was a part of American history, a crowning moment, and I so appreciate President Obama asking me to sing it.

DM: Speaking of that moment, how about that now infamous hat you wore? What is going to be its destiny?

AF: The chapeau? Well, the hat took on a life of its own. I’m going to donate it to the Obama Presidential Library when he leaves office.

DM: Well, you may be giving up the hat but certainly not your crown. When folks hear how good you sound and the stellar production on this record, your fans and supporters are going to love it!

AF: I hope so. I love singing for them with all my heart and soul.

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