Yesterday, while watching the inauguration, I kept hoping someone would step in and stop Aretha Franklin.  That was just plain embarrassing and painful to hear.

What was painful and embarrassing? She recreated a fabled performance she did with Ray Charles when she walked out onto the stage of the Filmore East and sang a whole set with Ray in 1968. That was his arrangement of America the Beautiful. It was very moving.

I thought she sang great but what was with the hat--that is poor taste in action.

:-X

She has been fighting a number of severe illnesses and may have been trying to hide her hair, with a bad old lady hat, She is after all an old lady now. The single best female singer I have had the pleasure to see many times/

She has been fighting a number of severe illnesses and may have been trying to hide her hair, with a bad old lady hat, She is after all an old lady now. The single best female singer I have had the pleasure to see many times/

You must not have ever seen Reba McEntire, Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline.

I have records by all three, and only saw Lynn live.Nice voices, only Kline comes close to Aretha's control and range, I must say I have heard Ella Fitzgerald on recordings, to me the best female voice period somehow I never got to see her live, a bad choice on my part.

I was just busting on ya, not thinking you would be very knowledgeable about female country singers.  I should have known better.

What was painful and embarrassing? She recreated a fabled performance she did with Ray Charles when she walked out onto the stage of the Filmore East and sang a whole set with Ray in 1968. That was his arrangement of America the Beautiful. It was very moving.

First, let me say that I love Aretha's music and think she is one of the finest talents of my lifetime, but the inauguration is not Filmore East.  The inauguration was not about showcasing her voice or Ray Charles' talent for arrangement.

Maybe it was just that gawdawful hat she was wearing. . .  

Actually this president made music a very prominent part of his inauguration.Please this is not made to be political just a statement of fact. God Bless America, by Ray Charles is one of the most requested versions of this patriotic song, second to the Kate Smith version/

Actually this president made music a very prominent part of his inauguration.Please this is not made to be political just a statement of fact. God Bless America, by Ray Charles is one of the most requested versions of this patriotic song, second to the Kate Smith version/

I loved it when Ray Charles did it.  Aretha. . . not so much.

I have records by all three, and only saw Lynn live.Nice voices, only Kline comes close to Aretha's control and range, I must say I have heard Ella Fitzgerald on recordings, to me the best female voice period somehow I never got to see her live, a bad choice on my part.

Wow! Another amazing factoid about the Muddy Man. I knew you

know your music, but I had no idea it extended so deeply into C&W.

You da MAN!

8-)

Im surprised yall old fellas even had singing back then i guess caves hold tunes and echo a diff rythym ;D

Excpet we can no longer remember the words ;D