As the legendary singer turns 70, TIME looks back on the highs and lows of her extraordinary career.
Happy Birthday Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul Turns 70
As the legendary singer turns 70, TIME looks back on the highs and lows of her extraordinary career.
Frank Driggs Collection / Getty Images
Franklin rehearses steps with noted choreographer Charles "Cholly" Atkins at a dance studio in 1961. Soon after her debut hit, Franklin released two more chart-topping singles. But as Columbia Records urged her to move away from jazz-infused pop music, her popularity began to decline and her record sales sputtered. Frustrated with the string of unsuccessful releases, she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966.
