Editing Aretha Franklin (section)

===1952–1960: Beginnings===
Just after her mother's death, Franklin began singing solos at [[New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, Michigan)|New Bethel Baptist Church]], debuting with the hymn "Jesus, Be a Fence Around Me".{{sfn|McAvoy|2002|p=22}}<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/5151565-421/roots--of-soul.html |title = Aretha Franklin's roots of soul |first = Dave |last = Hoekstra |date = May 12, 2011 |work = [[Chicago Sun-Times]] |access-date = April 18, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120622045122/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/5151565-421/roots--of-soul.html |archive-date = June 22, 2012 |url-status=live |df = mdy-all }}</ref> When Franklin was 12, her father began [[career management|managing]] her; he would take her on the road with him, during his "gospel caravan" tours for her to perform in various churches.{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=47}} He also helped her sign her first recording deal with [[Battle Records (record label)|J.V.B. Records]]. Franklin was featured on vocals and piano.<ref>{{cite web |title = Pickwick Group Ltd – Aretha Franklin – Songs Of Faith |url = http://www.pickwickgroup.com/catalogue/details/717042 |website = pickwickgroup.com |access-date = August 22, 2018 |language = en }}</ref> In 1956, J.V.B. released Franklin's first single, "Never Grow Old", backed with "You Grow Closer". "Precious Lord <small>(Part One)</small>" backed with "Precious Lord <small>(Part Two)</small>" followed in 1959. These four tracks, with the addition of "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood", were released on side one of the 1956 album, ''Spirituals''. This was reissued by Battle Records in 1962, under the same title.<ref>{{cite web |title = J.V.B./Battle Album Discography |url = http://www.bsnpubs.com/detroit/battle.html |website = bsnpubs.com |access-date = August 22, 2018 }}</ref> In 1965, [[Checker Records]] released ''[[Songs of Faith (Aretha Franklin album)|Songs of Faith]]'', featuring the five tracks from the 1956 ''Spirituals'' album, with the addition of four previously unreleased recordings. Aretha was only 14 when ''Songs of Faith'' was recorded.<ref name="auto2">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-11950661|title=Obituary: Aretha Franklin, 16 August 2018|work=BBC News|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref>

During this time, Franklin would occasionally travel with [[the Soul Stirrers]].{{sfn|Warner|2014|pp=8–9}} As a young gospel singer, Franklin spent summers on the gospel circuit in Chicago and stayed with [[Mavis Staples]]' family.<ref name="Queen">{{Cite news |url = https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/08/16/aretha-franklin-dies-chicago-concerts/ |title = Aretha Franklin: Remembering Her Many Ties To Chicago; She Became 'Queen Of Soul' Here |date = August 16, 2018 |publisher = CBS Chicago |access-date = August 17, 2018 }}</ref>
According to music producer [[Quincy Jones]], while Franklin was still young, [[Dinah Washington]] let him know that "Aretha was the 'next one{{'"}}.<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Leight |first = Elias |title = Quincy Jones on Aretha Franklin: 'You Will Reign as the Queen Forever' |date = August 16, 2018 |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/quincy-jones-on-aretha-franklin-you-will-reign-as-the-queen-forever-711687/ |magazine = Rolling Stone |language = en-US |access-date = August 19, 2018 }}</ref> Franklin and her father traveled to California, where she met singer [[Sam Cooke]].{{Sfn|Ritz|2014|p=69}} At the age of 16, Franklin went on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she would ultimately sing at his funeral in 1968.<ref>{{cite magazine |first1 = Douglas |last1=Wolk |author2 = David Browne |url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aretha-franklin-queen-of-soul-dead-at-76-119453/ |title = Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, Dead at 76 |magazine = Rolling Stone |date = August 16, 2018 |access-date = August 16, 2018 |quote = At 16, she went on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and later sang at his funeral. }}</ref> Other influences in her youth included [[Marvin Gaye]] (who was a boyfriend of her sister), as well as Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, "two of Franklin's greatest influences".<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://slate.com/culture/2018/08/aretha-franklin-dead-the-singer-was-the-defining-voice-of-the-20th-century.html|title=Aretha Franklin Was the Defining Voice of the 20th Century|journal=Slate |date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 2, 2021|last1=Hamilton |first1=Jack }}</ref> Also important was [[James Cleveland]], known as the King of Gospel music, "who helped to focus her early career as a gospel singer"; Cleveland had been recruited by her father as a pianist for the Southern California Community Choir.<ref name="Aretha Franklin obituary">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/16/aretha-franklin-obituary|title=Aretha Franklin obituary|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|first=Richard|last=Williams|author-link=Richard Williams (journalist)|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2021}}</ref><ref name="RStone">{{cite magazine |author-link=Mikal Gilmore |last=Gilmore |first=Mikal |date=September 27, 2018 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/aretha-franklin-tribute-cover-story-queen-729053/|title=The Queen: Aretha Franklin: 1942–2018 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 2, 2021}}</ref>