Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul: Bego, Mark: 9781510745070

Aretha Franklin's life was a rollercoaster of ups and downs, with two teenage pregnancies, an abusive first marriage, drinking problems, battles with her weight, the murder of her father, and tabloid wars.

But through it all, she remained the "Queen of Soul." Mark Bego's definitive biography traces her career accomplishments from her beginnings as a twelve-year-old member of a church choir to recording her first album at fourteen and signing a major recording contract at eighteen.

With in-person interviews with record producers, contemporaries, and even Aretha herself, Bego provides a detailed and neutral examination of Franklin's life.

This updated and expanded biography will give readers a clear understanding of what made Aretha Franklin the "Queen of Soul."