Aretha Franklin

What I Got For Christmas

Santa was extra generous this year! Here are some of the kitsch treasures he bequeathed me with: Homework, a sublimely trashy film with Joan Collins as "Sheila's mother," a horny lady who pounces on the ass of a teen boy who's classmates with her daughter. The film is filled with gratuitous sex fl ... More >>

The Ten Best Country Albums of 2012

This list of the year's best country albums is assembled with two important premises in mind: First: If the people who record and listen to these records consider them country, than they're damn well country. Purists who argue that country should still sound like '68, '76, '84 or whenever are in the ... More >>

I Saw Marvin Hamlisch And Aretha In Concert

Sometime in the blurry '80s, I saw Aretha Franklin in concert at Lincoln Center! Think that's incongruous? Well, Aretha's opening act was Marvin Hamlisch! Actually, this booking wasn't all that bizarre, since Hamlisch had cowritten a number one R&B tune for Aretha ("Break It To Me Gently") and al ... More >>

This Time

Best Parties Of All Time Roundup: Cher, Aretha, and Rosie Together!

Two of my "best bashes in history" were casino galas that were outrageouly lavish and star studded, just the way events in a glitzy gambling temple should be. First of all: The opening of the Mohegan Sun Hotel and spa in Connecticut in 2002 How's this for a gala weekend? Friday night in the bi ... More >>

Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" Gets A Little Too Close To "The Talk" For Comfort

This month, to celebrate the Internet's unbridled love for wallowing in nostalgia and even greater relishing of talking about why certain cultural artifacts are horrible, Sound of the City presents First Worsts, a series in which our writers remember the first time... they ever hated a song enough t ... More >>

Whitney Houston's Funeral: Make Sure To Watch

This is the biggest must-see tragic viewing since Michael Jackson's memorial (though her family wants quite a different feeling -- something smallish and intimate). It will be poignant, tearful, and filled with people who loved and felt for Whitney, as well as some who probably asked too much of he ... More >>

Hip-Hop's Top Ten Aretha Franklin Samples

​Rap royalty loves the Queen of Soul. Or, at least, some very prestigious hip-hop types have found the intimate grooves of Aretha Franklin's discography to be fine and fertile fodder for their sampling kicks. So with Franklin preparing to warble her way through a couple of back-to-back shows a ... More >>

Aretha Franklin

Favorite Plus-Sized Female Singer Of All Time?

Some of these ladies aren't still plus-sized -- and a bunch of them aren't even alive -- but whatever the case, they have all been through plump periods of the soul. And their apparent lack of vomiting skills always gave them a refreshing heft, big lungs, and an ability to transcend their potential ... More >>

Kelly Clarkson's Seven Best Cover Songs

Bryan Horowitz​In this week's Voice I talked about the new album by Kelly Clarkson, inaugural American Idol and the pop star who seems most likely to be a rip-roaring time at a coffee klatsch/Tupperware party/gathering of pals. The show that put her on the map, of course, is known for putting ... More >>

My 10 Favorite Angry Songs Of All Time

​Here are my top 10 bouts of musical rage. If you disagree with me, I'll be furious! (10) "We're Not Gonna Take It"--Twisted Sister Infectious anger at its most rollicking. I always felt this song was the musical equivalent of "I'm mad as hell" from Network.

The Best Cover Versions in Musical History

​I'm not interested in the paint-by-numbers ones designed to make a quick buck. Here are the six cover tunes that I feel brought the most originality and fresh energy to standard tunes, making it more than worth the effort to do the remaking. (6) "It's My Life" by No Doubt. (2003.) Gwen Ste ... More >>

Coming To The Local Sheds This Summer: Lots Of "Heritage Acts" And Country Stars (And Yeasayer)

Yeasayer. Here's hoping things are a bit warmer than this for their shows this summer. ​Today Live Nation announced a slew of shows at Long Island's Nikon at Jones Beach Theater and New Jersey's PNC Bank Arts Center, and in addition to the many classic rock acts (with "classic rock" now being ... More >>

Elvis Presley: He Was All There at Madison Square Garden

​Clip Job: an excerpt every day from the Voice archives. June 15, 1972, Vol. XVII, No. 24 Elvis: The last laugh By Carman Moore I think I know who Elvis Presley is. Wasn't he the guy who was always combing his hair, because he knew the girls would be watching? Wasn't he the guy who didn't ... More >>

The Fame Cookie: 2011 Grammy Awards Live Blog

It's the return of the most talked-about Grammy Awards live blog--a collection of quips, blips, and arguably insightful observations that dares to match the actual Grammy telecast in terms of pure spectacle and Justin Bieber mentions. Please join our hosts Tom Breihan and Ryan Dombal below, and keep ... More >>

Jessica Simpson Is The New Aretha Franklin

​That's pretty much what a friend told me the other day, and before you reach for the straitjacket, let me inform you that he's an educated and quite savvy person who does leave the house a lot. "I am blown away by the Jessica Simpson Xmas special on PBS," he texted me, ecstatic and totally s ... More >>

Pee-wee's Theater Is Ice Cold!

​ Pee-wee Herman is doing his zippy Broadway show of bratty antics at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, which is a funny observation in itself, but not so riotous is the fact that the place is colder than showbiz can be after you've had a sex scandal.

Aretha Cancels Concerts, Will Miss The Food

​The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, had to cancel her free Coney Island concerts next week because of "fractured ribs and a pain in the abdomen." Our hearts are with her, but it's obvious that the woman hasn't become that unglued by this cancellation, seeing as she's still thinking about the ... More >>

Live: Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, And Slick Rick Do "Old-School Night" At Wingate Field

Still talking about sex, albeit very briefly. Pics by Rebecca Smeyne, more below.​Salt-N-Pepa/Naughty by Nature/Slick Rick Wingate Field Monday, August 2 "Y'all look like a free concert out here," notes Salt wryly, shortly before launching into "I'll Take Your Man" in front of, indeed, thousa ... More >>

Aretha In Concert With Condi Rice!

​ You knew this was coming! The former Secretary of Defense with the longtime Queen of Soul. Together in concert! In a highly unusual July 27 event at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Aretha Franklin will be joined by Condoleeza Rice, who will play piano on "Say A Lit ... More >>

Will & Jada Cause Pandemonium at Fences

​The Broadway revival of Fences is star-studded enough, thank you, due to performances by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. But last night, the celeb wattage increased significantly when Will and Jada Smith walked into the audience.

HONEYBEAR BITE

Blues upstarts offer some bad romance

Aretha and Liza in New Snickers Commercial

If you're saying "Aretha who?" and "Liza wha'?" then not only shouldn't you be reading the rest of this, you should never speak to my ass again! The two legendary divas are in a Snickers commercial (which airs starting February 15) titled, appropriately, "Divas," and it's short, but (you know I ... More >>

DANCE IT ON DOWN

Happy birthday, Soul!

Live: Even Lou Reed Gets Sentimental At Rock Hall MSG Blowout #2 (Featuring U2, The Boss, The Black Eyed Peas, And Some Dude Named Mick)

Ooooh plus "Iron Man" Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Celebration Madison Square Garden Friday, October 30 "When we were down, rock 'n' roll lifted us up," says Tom Hanks in his introductory remarks for the final night of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's benefit-concert extravaganza ... More >>

A Gay Bravo Show About Tops?

Remember Greg Scarnici, the white guy who did the hilarious Aretha Franklin homage which I posted on this blog after the inauguration? No? Well, now he's done a parody of Top Chef as if it were a gay Bravo show called Top Top!

Hilarious Aretha Franklin Parody

Can anyone just put a mutant bow on their head and wail out "My Country 'Tis of Thee" while ushering in a whole new dawn? No, but soul legend Aretha Franklin did it at the inauguration and managed to astound with her gravitas and her amazing hat. Well, now, Greg Scarnici--whom I know from having d ... More >>

Inauguration Kicks Off

11:50 a.m. Dianne Feinstein has probably never had a reception like this in her life. She welcomes the crowd as we "etch another line in the solid stone of history." Praises the "Non-violent struggles for justice and equality like the one" that led to this "sweet history of this hour" and "turning ... More >>

CHANGE DONE COME

Leela James’s Afro-rock could start a revolution

Otis Redding and Marie Queenie Lyons

Soul classics from two greats, one a bit less familiar than the other

Hugs and Kisses 23: Vampire Weekend Bassist Chris Baio on His Favorite Records

Billie in a Bottle

On Xtina's noble but knuckleheaded plea for diva greatness

NY Mirror

King of Peace: Remembering the Great Civil Rights Leader

Web Radio Picks to Click

Musicology

Prof's soul story subsumes civil rights and black power in gospel vision

Rousing Constituencies

Old dogs singin' slow songs and fairygodmotherfuckers for discerning dilettantes

Familiar and Fabulous

How many queens does it take to fill Radio City Music Hall?

Music

Livin' on a Prayer

NY Mirror

Give the Gift of UniMoth

NY Mirror

Reverse Crossover

20 Centuries of Hits

A Little Lite Music

Dusty in Heaven

Dusty Springfield, 1939­1999

Consumer Guide

Six of these 12 picks recast known compositions, and only two of the six are in the rock tradition. But I did find one medium-obscure alt band worth writing about. One.

Queen of Pop