Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara

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Alessia Cara On Aretha's Inspiration: "You Could Tell That It Came From Her Soul"

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Her tribute and many more will air on CBS on March 10 as part of "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul"
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 5, 2019 - 10:21 am

GRAMMY-winning pop star Alessia Cara, who won Best New Artist at the 60th GRAMMY Awards, knows what it means to sing from the heart. She recently paid tribute to one of her idols, the late Aretha Franklin, singing "Until You Come Back To Me" at the icon's GRAMMY tribute concert. Cara opened the song with a shout out to her hero: "Thank you, Aretha. Your music continues to inspire and teach us."

Alessia Cara Celebrates Aretha Franklin

Following Aretha's passing last August, the music world united in remembering the queen. Her many loved ones celebrated her life with a star-studded, music filled memorial in her hometown of Detroit, while the community of artists she inspired continue to offer musical tributes, most recently on the 2019 GRAMMY stage.

Shortly before the GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy brought together many of these artists to sing Aretha's praises—and her unforgettable songs—for a powerful tribute concert.

"I always aspired to hit the notes that she hit and have the soul that she had," Cara shared in a backstage interview during the event. "You could tell that it came from her soul and I've always wanted to be able to do that to people and captivate an audience like she did."

Tune in to hear the moving speech about his and Aretha's friendship, along with all the special moments celebrating the Queen of Soul. "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" will air on Sun., March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS.

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John Legend

John Legend

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John Legend Pays Tribute To Aretha Franklin With A Stunning Cover Of "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

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"Aretha had a way of covering songs and making them her own," Legend said
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 8, 2019 - 6:09 pm

GRAMMY-winning vocal powerhouse John Legend—now an EGOT (an Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar and Tony winner)—truly brought the room to a state of awe with his powerful performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" during Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul.

John Legend Honors Aretha With A Stunning Cover

During the concert, as he sat down at the piano, he that shared Paul Simon, half of GRAMMY-winning folk heroes Simon And Garfunkel, who originally wrote and recorded the song, has said Aretha Franklin's version was one of the best covers of his songs he'd ever heard.

At the 13th GRAMMY Awards in 1971 the duo took home two GRAMMY Awards for the song, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year. Later that year Aretha would record her soulful version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and take home a win for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female at the 14th GRAMMY Awards.

Legend astutely points to Aretha's power to take a great song and make it even better, by making it completely hers.

"Aretha had a way of covering songs and making them her own. And I was happy to do her version of the cover version," Legend shared, smiling.

You can hear his moving performance of the song, along with all of the other special moments from the special honoring the Queen Of Soul by tuning into CBS this Sun., March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT.

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Celine Dion

Celine Dion

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Celine Dion Says She Will Never Forget Singing With Aretha Franklin

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The two GRAMMY-winning vocal powerhouses famously shared the stage in 1998 at the first-ever "VH1 Divas" show
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 7, 2019 - 3:29 pm

GRAMMY winner Celine Dion has had plenty of high points in her career, and the "VH1 Divas" performance she shared with fellow GRAMMY-winning vocal powerhouse Aretha Franklin in 1998 is one she'll especially treasure.

Looking back on that moment, one she would "never forget," Dion said she had an easy decision to make when asked to be a part of the GRAMMY tribute to the late legend. She added her voice to the powerful evening that was "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul," singing "A Change Is Gonna Come."

Backstage at the event, which will air on CBS in full this Sunday, March 10, Dion also reflected on the power that Aretha has had on her and many other singers and music fans.

"Whoever believes that music comes from the soul has a part of her," she emphasized. "We've been singing her, we've been feeling her."

"She has been showing us, all of us, how things are being done and no one will ever be doing that again," Dion finished.

Don't forget to catch "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" on Sun., March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS.

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Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance

Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance

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Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance Share Their Aretha Franklin Memories

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Vance recalls sitting with Aretha at the Kennedy Center: "She held court"
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 6, 2019 - 9:31 am

Actors and power couple Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance were lucky to know and love Aretha Franklin personally before she left the physical world in 2018. Recently the pair looked back on some of their favorite memories with her.

Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance Talk Aretha

Shortly before the 2019 GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy brought together many of Aretha's friends and admirers to sing her praises—and her unforgettable songs—for a powerful tribute concert, which will be shared with the world this Sunday. The Queen Of Soul would have been 77 on March 25, so we can all share in wishing her a happy birthday.

"I remember at the Kennedy Center Honors [in 2015 when Aretha performed] …we sat at her table and she held court. It was beautiful," Vance shared backstage at the event.

The couple introduced Yolanda Adams and Common during the show, before their powerful performance of "Young, Gifted And Black."

Tune in this weekend to see all the special moments celebrating the icon. "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul," will air on Sun., March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS.

Alessia Cara On Aretha's Inspiration: "You Could Tell That It Came From Her Soul

H.E.R.

H.E.R.

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H.E.R. Honors Aretha Franklin With A Spare, Soulful Cover Of "I Say A Little Prayer"

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Her tribute and many more will air on CBS on March 10 as part of "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul"
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 1, 2019 - 10:59 am

She may be just 21, but rising R&B artist H.E.R. began playing music from a young age while listening to her father's soul and blues record collection. Now, shortly after earning her first GRAMMY nominations at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, where she went home two wins, including Best R&B Album, H.E.R. is honoring the late Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin with a paired-down cover of "I Say A Little Prayer." 

H.E.R. Honors Aretha Franklin

Following Aretha's passing last August, the music world united in celebrating her legacy—most recently on the 2019 GRAMMY stage. Now, her admirers and contemporaries are celebrating her life with a star-studded, music-filled memorial.

Shortly before the GRAMMYs, the Recording Academy brought together many of these artists to sing Aretha's praises—and her unforgettable songs—for a powerful tribute concert, airing on March 10 on CBS.

H.E.R. chose to sing one of her favorite Aretha covers, "I Say A Little Prayer," which the singer earned a GRAMMY nomination for at the 11th GRAMMY Awards. (Aretha released her version in 1968, one year after Dionne Warwick originally recorded the timeless track.)

"She's a legend. She inspired, I'm sure, all of the singers that are doing this tribute tonight," H.E.R. said before the concert. "She's such an inspiration to me, and this is bringing women together, so it's really dope to see that as well."

Tune in to hear H.E.R.'s full performance when "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" airs on Sun., March 10 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CT on CBS.

Aretha Franklin's GRAMMY History: Remembering The Queen Of Soul