Take me to heart and I'll always love. From W.B.E.Z. Chicago and PRX. This is Sound Opinions. I'm Jim Deorgatus.

And I'm Greg Kot. This week we're going to pay tribute to the late soul legend Aretha Franklin.

From restart at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit to the top of the secular charts, we'll explore the life, legacy, and music of Aretha.

We'll also dig into the best-selling album of Aretha Franklin's career, Amazing Grace. That's all coming up on sound opinions. You're going to be a me to love you.

If you want, let me...

You're listening to sound opinions and today we're remembering the life and music of Aretha Franklin.

It ain't no way for me to give you all you need.

If you won't let me give all of me.

The Queen of Soul, Jim, dead at the age of 76 a huge loss for for the world

one of the greatest singers of all time it needs you, nobody needs to be told that. I mean,

the numbers speak for themselves. 77 top 100 songs, 21 number one R&B hits, 18

Grammy Awards, first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

But it's more than just a numbers game with the wreath of the hits.

The great gospel critic Anthony Heilbut said that her role as a pivotal

figure in the way women and African Americans were perceived in popular culture was so important.

You know, he said that you could say,

you could trace the history of Black America

into pre and post-Arritha.

I think that's absolutely.

You know, I think any critic forced to say the most significant

voices in popular music in the last century I think we could debate for the men

maybe Tony Bennett I'd go with Frank Sinatra but there's no debate about

...