“It Was a Revelation”: Aretha Franklin Shares the Three Lessons Her Father Taught Her That Helped Her Win 18 Grammys

Before she became the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin was simply “Ree” — a young girl in Detroit, surrounded by gospel music, the sound of her father’s sermons, and the quiet strength of family. Her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, was a celebrated preacher known for his thunderous voice and deep spirituality, but to Aretha, he was also her first teacher — the man who gave her the tools to become one of the most powerful and enduring voices in music history.

“It was a revelation,” Aretha once said. “I didn’t realize it when I was a child, but everything Daddy taught me became the foundation for who I am — on stage, in the studio, and in life.”

Over a six-decade career, those lessons helped Aretha shape not only her voice but her purpose — guiding her to 18 Grammy Awards, a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as its first female inductee), and a legacy that continues to move hearts around the world.

Here are the three lessons Aretha said she learned from her father — the wisdom that turned a preacher’s daughter into a global icon.

1. “If You Don’t Feel It, Don’t Sing It.”

Reverend Franklin taught his daughter that music was not performance — it was testimony.

“He’d say, ‘Ree, if you can’t make them feel it, don’t waste your breath,’” Aretha recalled. “He taught me that a song isn’t about notes — it’s about spirit.”

That advice became the guiding principle of Aretha’s artistry. Whether demanding empowerment with “Respect” or delivering grace through “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” she never sang from technique alone — she sang from truth.

As her longtime producer Jerry Wexler once said, “Aretha doesn’t sing a song — she testifies.”

2. “Your Power Is in Knowing When to Rest.”

While Reverend Franklin was famous for his passionate preaching, his life at home reflected discipline and balance — something he passed on to his daughter.

“He told me, ‘You don’t have to do it all in one day, baby. Rest when you’re tired, think before you move.’”

That wisdom carried Aretha through the intense demands of fame. During her busiest years at Atlantic Records, recording hit after hit, she learned to pause when the world pushed too hard.

“Daddy always said: don’t let the world wear you down,” she once explained. “Sing strong, but live soft. That balance is what kept me going all those years.”

Her quiet strength became as much a part of her legacy as her voice — proof that endurance, not speed, is what sustains greatness.

3. “Never Forget Who You’re Singing For.”

Perhaps the most important lesson Reverend Franklin gave his daughter was about purpose.

“He told me, ‘Ree, you’re not singing for applause — you’re singing for purpose.’”

For Aretha, that meant her music was never just entertainment; it was ministry. From performing at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral to moving millions with “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” at President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009, she saw her gift as a calling — a bridge between heaven and humanity.

“My father said, ‘The gift is from God. The glory goes back to Him,’” she said. “That’s the secret. That’s what keeps the fire burning.”

“He Taught Me the Power of Belief”

Looking back, Aretha said her father’s lessons went beyond music — they were about faith, courage, and authenticity.

“He believed in me before the world did,” she reflected. “And when the world finally did, I knew exactly who I was. That’s why I could stand tall — because Daddy raised me that way.”

Even in her final years, she said his influence never left her.

“I hear his voice every time I walk on stage,” Aretha said softly. “He’s still guiding me — every note, every breath.”

And perhaps that’s the truest measure of her greatness: not just the power of her voice, but the power of the lessons that gave that voice its soul.