Tessanne Chin Blows Everyone Else Away With "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on NBC's The Voice (Video)

When this young woman sings, you must sit up and listen. After hearing Tessanne Chin perform Simon & Garfunkel's classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water," I immediately went to iTunes and bought her version.

I like the original by Simon & Garfunkel, as well as Aretha Franklin's performance. During Tessanne's performance, background singers briefly sang "Don't trouble the water," which makes her performance closer to Aretha's.

Still on Aretha Franklin: John Travolta's Chain of Fools Dance in Michael is an Entertaining Classic

I knew I had forgotten something in my Aretha Franklin tribute. Tonight I was listening to Aretha's "Chain of Fools" and then remembered this entertaining dance scene with John Travolta and ladies in the movie Michael.

Remembering Aretha Franklin in Jet Magazine

Thinking about Aretha Franklin's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and writing my Aretha Franklin tribute for BlogHer.com, I mentioned Luther Vandross but not the feud he had with the diva. I just learned about that through Google Books. There you can read old issues of Jet Magazine like the one below. (click the picture to read the old Jet article.) You can also read my full post at BlogHer here.

The Jet piece tells Aretha's version of her life as does the Diva's book, From These Roots.

But even cooler than that is this shot announcing Aretha, James Brown, Gladys Knight, and Diana Ross and the Supremes as 1967 winners of the National Association of TV and Radio Announcers awards. Aretha won in the category of top R&B record for "Respect" and also the top female artist slot. Gladys Knight and the Pips won that same year for "most promising group."

With many others, I'm praying for the Queen of Soul

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Prayers and Hopes Rise for Aretha Franklin (Video Tribute)

The news about Aretha Franklin is not good, not good at all. Reports from her family earlier this week say the 68-year-old singer, pop culture icon, Detroit resident, and first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has pancreatic cancer.

The illness has a high incidence rate among African-Americans, according to John Hopkins University researchers, but it's also the illness that claimed Patrick Swayze's life. The recovery rate is dismal. The American Cancer Society says, "Fewer than 4% (of patients) will be alive after 5 years." Nonetheless, the singer's friends, including Jesse Jackson, and her family say she's "doing very well" after surgery, and some family members "insist she will sing again."

Detroit's local Fox station reports:

Last week the 68-year-old underwent surgery for a mystery illness. The surgery was deemed a success, but the reason or reasons for the surgery were not released to the public. A few weeks ago Franklin canceled all concerts through May 2011 due to "medical reasons."

I immediately agreed to write a tribute to Aretha, thinking that the Queen of Soul's work is in me so deeply this writing tasks would be easy, a cake walk since her music has been the soundtrack playing during critical parts of my life. However, less than 20 minutes into the writing process I was weeping and wanting to kick myself because my spirit challenged my mind with questions: What made you think you could do this? The Queen of Soul has pancreatic cancer. The prognosis does not bode well. Almost every song you hear from this woman evokes memories of your mother, your aunts, your childhood, your hopes for love in your youth, your disappointment in love later, even your literal dreams. Aretha has appeared in your dreams singing. You can't write this blog post. What were you thinking?

Those words are no exaggeration. Aretha's music always seems to be near me. When I first heard about her hospitalization and the prayer vigils, I think I went into denial. It was Friday night, December 3, and I was at a Christmas gala, a fundraiser held for a community center in New Orleans, listening to a band, Clark Knighten and the 4X4 Connection featuring Naydja Cojoe.

Naydja was singing one of Aretha songs, "Baby I Love You," and doing a good job of it, too. I was singing along at the table, embarrassing my son, who was a few days shy of his 20th birthday, and making my daughter, who is nearing 30, laugh as well as my cousin's daughter, age 17. I made faces and sang: .... Please continue reading at BlogHer.com.

All-Star Mack the Knife: Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson

Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Nancy Wilson, Al Jarreau, Dianna Krall & Nnenna Freelon sing Mack the Knife. Fun! Fun Fun! from Nissan Presents: The 2nd Annual Celebration of America's Music, 1998.



You'll also see Debbie Allen dancing in the background, just having fun, as her sister Phyllicia Rashad looks on. Plus Bill Cosby's running around acting a fool in his best way.

Old School Friday: King vs.The Queen

This week the Old School Friday theme is original vs. remake. My choices are tricky. Both Carole King and Aretha Franklin recorded Natural Woman, but the question is whose version is truly the original? Carole King recorded the song after Aretha made it a hit, but it's King's song. She co-wrote "Natural Woman" with Gerry Goffin.

Aretha recorded "Natural Woman" in 1967 and it became her signature song. King did not record this classic that she'd co-written until 1971. (Song's history)

I'm a fan of both singers. I wore Carole King's Tapestry album out, but I know why Aretha is the Queen of soul. If I had to vote, then for me Aretha is the original because she recorded it first, but King's recording gives us a beautiful interpretation showing how the songwriter feels her own music. She was brave to record the song after Aretha had already done it, sort of like recording a song after it's had the Luther treatment.

Here's Aretha.


Here's Carole King.


And, as mentioned in the song's history at Wikipedia, Mary J. Blige recorded "Natural Woman as well in 1995. You can view her version here, which is similar to Aretha's version.

Carole King also wrote the classic "You've Got a Friend," which has been recorded by multiple stars.

The creators of the Old School Friday meme are Mrs. Grapevine and The Marvalous View and has these rules, if you want to join the party.

Other participants:

Electronic Village | Fresh And Fab | Danielle | Kim | Ms Grapevine | Quick| Marcus LANGFORD | Cassandra |iriegal | Mahogany | Hagar’s Daughter | Lisa C | Chocl8t | DP | Dallassouth | John | CC Groovy | Kreative Talk | Marvalus One | Regina | Clnmike | Vivrant Thing | AJ | Sharon | The Creole Pimp | Invisible Woman | Beleiver 1964 | Cooper | SJP | Bria | BklynQueen 86 | Hey Shae | From the Battlefield | Thembi | D Spot | Malcolm | Pop Art Diva | Pjazzypar | MsLadyDeborah | WSATA

Old School Friday; midlife; music

OSF: Hot Enuff to Smoke the Radio!

Learned at Mrs. Grapevine that today's Old School Friday theme is too hot for radio. Like her, I immediately thought I should find a Prince song, mainly because I've been listening to his "Adore" and "Luv U in Me" today and comparing some Alicia Keys tunes, but the video for one of her Prince-like songs, "Like You'll Never See Me Again," isn't sexy like the song. It's a touching tale of near-tragedy. Still, Keys loves her some Prince for inspiration.

Hmm, it's enough to make a celibate run down the street and strip buck naked.

Anyway, the next person that came to me, out of the blue, was the late, incomparable Marvin Gaye. He was a freak who started showing his colors to listeners in his latter years. When I say Marvin was a freak, I mean it. Have you read about his sex life. He's gone now, but we still have his music to get us hot and sweaty.

I know, you're thinking "Sexual Healing." But I'm posting "You Sure Love to Ball."



If old school included Macy Gray, I'd choose her "Caligula," but she's out of date range and "Caligula" is too spicy for OSF guidelines anyway. Don't click that link unless you want to singe your ears.

I had to find me a female mistress of heat for this post, though, and I'm going way back to some real grown folks music, as Revvy Rev would say. Aretha, the Queen of Soul, singing "Dr. "Feelgood." After this song, the live version below, someone may need a cigarette. Listen to the female voices in the audience singing along with her, "Don't send me no doctor, filling me up with all those pills, 'cause I got me a man named Dr. Feelgood and oh oh oh yeah he takes care of all my pains and ills."

There's a communal Big O at the end of the song. And then it turns into church. I almost spit out my coffee because this is the first time I've heard the live version.

Whooo! Now I feel like calling up my old boyfriend, a very bad idea as in Jill Scott's "Cross My Mind," also not eligible for the old school groove.

And what did you think of Aretha's hat at The Inauguration Tuesday? I read the designer has been swamped with orders.


The creators of the Old School Friday meme are Mrs. Grapevine and The Marvalous View and has these rules, if you want to join the party.

Other participants:

Electronic Village | Fresh And Fab | Danielle | Kim | Ms Grapevine | Quick| Marcus LANGFORD | Cassandra |iriegal | Mahogany | Hagar’s Daughter | Lisa C | Chocl8t | DP | Dallassouth | John | CC Groovy | Kreative Talk | Marvalus One | Regina | Clnmike | Vivrant Thing | AJ | Sharon | The Creole Pimp | Invisible Woman | Beleiver 1964 | Cooper | SJP | Bria | BklynQueen 86 | Hey Shae | From the Battlefield | Thembi | D Spot | Malcolm | Pop Art Diva | Pjazzypar | MsLadyDeborah | WSATA

Old School Friday; midlife; sex music

Big Stars Head to New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest: Video Featuring Jazz All Stars

When I heard last night the names of the music stars the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival have lined up for the 2009 show, I knew I'd have to buy tickets as soon as possible. The Times Picayune and other local news sources report that Quint David, Jazz Fest's producer, announced the star-studded roster early to help people plan better their trip down here. Organizers want folks to have a chance to save and put New Orleans's April event in their budgets.

Here are some of the names of performers this year per NOLA.com/The Picayune:

By 1970, the first year of the New Orleans Jazz Fest, Tony Bennett had been a star for two decades. The members of scruffy rock band Kings of Leon were not yet born.

Both are bound for the 40th Jazz Fest.

They'll join Aretha Franklin (updated to say she's not on the list now), Sugarland, the Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, the Neville Brothers, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Wynton Marsalis, Emmylou Harris, Wilco, The O'Jays, Pete Seeger, Ben Harper, Solomon Burke, Erykah Badu and hundreds more at the Fair Grounds April 24-26 and April 30-May 3. (Read full story here.)

You can view the complete 2009 Jazz Fest lineup at this link.

I couldn't go last year and missed Stevie Wonder. I'm going this year come hell or high water.

Below, per NOLA.com, is a video of "an all-star jazz band featuring trumpeter Nicholas Payton, clarinetist Michael White, trombonist Troy Andrews, bassist Roland Guerin, drummer Shannon Powell and George Wein, Jazz Fest's founder, on keyboards performed 'Struttin' With Some Barbecue.'" Beautiful music that really puts you in the mood for Jazz Fest.

Jazzfest veteran George Wein performs during announcement

Hats off to NOLA.com for getting embeddable video up for bloggers. Their web producers are smart. Our local TV stations are behind the times with forcing people to come to their site to watch video. I heard this story first on WWL TV, but when I decided to post it, I checked NOLA.com b/c WWL's site, while it might have video that you could visit with a link, wouldn't have anything visual I could add to my post.

NOLA.com also has audio of the announcement as well as details about ticket packages and Jazz Fest history. Here's the link again. Tickets may be purchased through TicketMaster.