Aretha Franklin’s Granddaughter Shows The World That Talent Runs In The Family

These days, there are so many celebrities around that it takes something really special to stand out from the crowd. Aretha Franklin had just that something, of course, wowing audiences around the world with a voice sent from heaven. And in March 2022 her granddaughter Grace popped her head above the parapet in an appearance on American Idol — and proved she’s inherited that incredible gift from Grandma.

“Natural gift”

Aretha once said of herself, “Being a singer is a natural gift. It means I’m using to the highest degree possible the gift that God gave me to use. I’m happy with that.” Undeniably, Aretha took her gift to the heights, winning several Grammys and hitting the charts with unforgettable songs.

Young talent

People noticed that Aretha had talent from a young age, because she displayed it both when singing in church and playing the piano. The church was her dad’s workplace, as he was a preacher in the Baptist tradition. And the voice clearly ran in the family, since her mom sang gospel, too.

Move to Detroit

Sadly, though, Aretha’s parents didn’t have a happy marriage, and it ended while she was very young. Worse still, her mom then passed away when Aretha was only ten years old. She moved with her dad to Detroit, Michigan. There, Clarence La Vaughan — better known as “C. L.” — became a figure known around the country for his preaching.

Contract signed

In the meantime, Aretha’s recording career was getting underway — when she was still in her early teens. She went on C. L.’s revival tour as well, making friends with some of the big names in gospel along the way. So it’s little wonder that she soon attracted major-label attention, eventually opting to go with Columbia Records, who put out her self-titled debut album during 1961.