Adventures in the Life of Lady Soul

First of all, let me extend my congratulations to Ms. Aretha Franklin on her recent engagement to William Wilkerson.  I understand the couple is planning a wedding this summer in Florida with a reception to be held on a private yacht.  Catharine and I will be very pleased to attend.

But wait, there's more Aretha-related news!  As you may have also heard, Franklin is starting a kind of singing contest in order to find an opera singer worthy of being signed to her record label (and, presumably, mentored by Franklin herself).  In a bizarre justification given to NPR, Franklin says, "Some of the older classical singers like Jessye Norman, Leotyne Price, and Barbara Hendricks are retiring, they're not singing anymore, and I'd like to see some younger singers come along and take their place."

Indeed, Price has been retired since 1985.  But even weirder is this idea that, unless Aretha finds some new singers, there won't be anyone around to sing opera.  As imperfect as it is, Franklin is aware of the fact that there is an extensive vocal training infrastructure in this country, right?  That the streets of New York are awash in trained young sopranos eager to sing the classical repertory instead of working as waitresses and nannies?

So maybe Aretha is unsatisfied with this system and is going to use her money and influence to give attention to young singers in ways that the more conventional structures haven't been able to do.  But I actually like the idea better that she, in fact, lives in her kind of celebrity bubble and actually has no idea that thousands of students are enrolled in vocal performance degree programs.  It's kind of like when Prince released a song a few years ago called "Cinnamon Girl."

Obviously, "Cinnamon Girl" is a bizarre and racially problematic title.  It was also used as the title for a iconic rock song written by Neil Young, which features Young's droning one-note guitar solo (which I actually kind of love).  Surely Prince was aware of this song, right? 

The other explanation is that both Prince and Aretha are fully aware of the antecedents their work is engaging with, but they feel they don't even need to acknowledge these things whatsoever, that whatever they are doing is so obviously superior that whatever came before is just irrelevant.  Certainly that's an attitude of arrogance, but why else do we have pop stars?