One sunny morning in 1968, I had settled down to my customary reading of the Sunday newspapers on Hampstead Heath in London, when a couple sat on the grass near me. I was a little irritated when they switched on a transistor radio and was pondering giving them a lecture on the sanctity of peace and quiet. But then I heard the piano intro to I Say A Little Prayer and all was forgiven. A rare sunny day on the Heath with musical accompaniment by Aretha Franklin -- what more could one ask for?
Alas, Aretha has gone. All the tributes to her this weekend are so richly deserved. She was such a truly inspirational singer and someone whose soulful music has given me such pleasure over the past five decades. With her passing, the world has lost not only a uniquely gifted spirit, but a whole lot of soul.
Like many of my generation, my introduction to Aretha was her 1967 hit, Respect, which was two minutes and 28 seconds of unrestrained, in your face soul. It was authentic "sock it to me" music.
