http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...laid-bare.html
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Well shell like this her CD sold 20,000 copies and is entering the top 20 Billboards chart next week.
https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-...005934781.html
Roberta
Dennis Edwards is not a tenor singer as this article states.
He is a baritone.
How many other facts are wrong?
edafan
The British papers did the same thing when Bettye's book came out. They take all of the sensational stuff and put it together, so you think it's one thing.
Read this from USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/b...klin/17771273/
Does the British Press have a bad reputation in the States?
David Ritz is a highly respected author.
When you have a child at 12 years old, you are going to be a pretty screwed up person for the rest of your life. I still don't know why the guy wasn't arrested.
Aretha will crap herself over this; she blows a gasket over most anything.
But heck, this will sell a few more CDs and maybe get her more TV and more concerts, close to home, so she won't have to fly.
Sounds like a fun read, this book.
A very poor reputation.Quote:
Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown
I don't know if you have any familiarity with the US Enquirer or the Star tabloids, but many Americans who are aware of things beyond their immediate sphere give the British tabloids the same low marks. The British press seems to expound an air of sensationalism exposing any dirt hiding in the cracks.
I generally respect the work of David Ritz, but found it odd that many of the sources quoted are no longer with us. I wonder how many would refute the printed reports.
I was thinking the same thing. I'm reading the book now and in general, most of the quotes comes from Aretha's deceased siblings and her deceased agent, Ruth Bowen. To that end, there's an interesting quote from her brother Cecil. He mentions Aretha's dislike of Natalie Cole and said that she didn't stop feeling threatened by Natalie until the 90s when the latter began singing her father's material. But Cecil died in 1989. Could be just a quote mistakenly identified, but it stuck out to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by nabob
The book hasn't turned out to be the ARETHA DEAREST that I feared it might, but I'm sure the publication of some of this info is quite disappointing to Aretha, especially since she always been so private. And the timing is rather interesting, as she is currently in the news with her new cd.
OK, sorry for being cruel, but Ray Charles was a "witness" to the orgies? I wonder if Stevie Wonder saw the same stuff!
Sorry, couldn't help myself. ;)
Do you know why Aretha has to lie about her life to the press? It's because people care about the dirt. She is a troubled, flawed person just like anyone else. She may be famous and in the public eye, but these people have a right to their privacy and dignity.
What I care more about is if the two three-track decks in the picture were synced.
Attachment 8608
People will be interested for a short while. And then they don't really care anymore.
Quoting dead sources is safe ~ they can't be sued for defamation. And Aretha is a "Court" lady in many ways.
Maybe this is why she is releasing a CD now.
Here is the NY Times Review.
Somewhat better, maybe.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/30/bo...tory.html?_r=0
I feel that Aretha is at the stage in her life that she's kinda over it. At 72 years old, I think you begin developing this "forget this, let them know, I'm gonna die anyway" attitude. In recent interviews, she no longer cares about keeping up a "regal" appearance, she's more "take it like it is, I don't like getting up in the morning doing these boring interviews". That's how she really is and people see that now, which is why having this book released is even more interesting because for years we've seen hints of Aretha's true nature [[her purposefully not showing up at Whitney's funeral, her attitude towards Beyonce after she called Tina Turner "the queen" at the Grammys, her comments after it was reported she had pancreatic cancer, I don't know if Ritz confirmed the cancer reports, since the Daily Fail is fishy) and now this book lays it all out on the line. It more than confirms Bettye LaVette's own accounts of Aretha's life when she was with Ted. I think because most of the people are dead, Aretha doesn't feel the need to sue because she could've. Guess Ritz waited until most of them [[including Aretha's two sons' eldest fathers) were dead before he could put it out because we know if Ritz had released this book in 1999, Aretha would've put a stop to it sooner than later and the fact she hasn't [[same with C. L. Franklin's bio, which also confirms Aretha wasn't even 13 when her first child was born) shows she probably knows she can't sue and quite possibly she doesn't care anymore. She's already a legend. This won't sullied her reputation. It would actually make her more sympathetic since Ritz seems to show love for her in the book.
That's exactly what I thought. I've read a lot of David Ritz' books and I've never been disappointed. Bettye's and Etta's ones are highly recommendee readings and I'll buy this book.Quote:
Originally Posted by imnokid
What concerns me is Ritz co-wrote Aretha's auto biography with her a number of years ago and Im sure learned stuff about her then that wasnt published. .Im sure she trusted him on some level and said "dont go there" on some topics. And now he goes there..Maybe Im naive but I think some things dont need to be discussed out of RESPECT--like her father's sex life, her teen pregnancies. She was a very vulnerable girl. And how on earth did he get those closest to her to talk??? I dont understand it. Did he say he woiuldnt reveal info until they were dead?
David Ritz probably had access to all these individuals close to Aretha and conducted interviews, he later probably provided Aretha with a draft of the book, but Aretha had final say over the edits - and what was cut from the book. Now years later Ritz probably feels that the true story of Aretha was not properly told. I don't think Ritz has the reputation of say a Kitty Kelly, but he's written books with/on many major artists like Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Etta James and others. He's not known for doing a hatchet job on his works or the folks that he's covered.Quote:
Originally Posted by luke
If your concerned about whats discussed in the book then do like Im doing and dont buy it. Werent you and your friend praising Marc Beggo as a great biographer a few months back and what he puts in his books is way worse than what mr Ritz has allegidly written.Quote:
Originally Posted by luke
Roberta
I dont even care if its true or not, any of it. The singing was great,for a time . What happened between singing songs doesn't interest me or matter. As for her attitude to other female singers, they were just as bad. Its a club.
I don;'t know. 72 is still fairly young these days. She just put out a new album. Perhaps, if she approved of this book, and there is juicy dirt in it, perhaps she wants to tell it her way instead of it being told by someone else with their little spin on it after she dies.Quote:
Originally Posted by midnightman
Tamla, you are exactly right. No one else of Aretha's generation of singers can still attract this much attention, certainly not someone like Diana Ross who these guys on this forum that have become desperate for anything remotely newsworthy about that one.......Quote:
Originally Posted by tamla617
Someone like Diana Ross .... oh give me a break! This thread was interesting until you made YOUR comment. Time to go back on the IGNORE LIST. Post your negativity somewhere else.
Well it wasn't like she can control what people say. Besides the fact she didn't sue the author of that book about C.L. Franklin and exposing his dark secrets speaks volumes. Doubt she'd care anymore about this since we live in a different time period than the one Aretha lived in and she probably knows it.Quote:
Originally Posted by luke
My ears tell me that Dennis sang in a tenor register, and listings of Tempations members describe him as a tenor.Quote:
Originally Posted by edafan
Paul Williams, on the other hand, was a baritone.
If you listen to the pair singing on Norman Whitfield-produced tracks from the late 60s and early 70s you can tell that Paul Williams had to stretch for notes that Dennis Edwards reached with ease. You can also tell that the parts that they sang were tailored around their different ranges.
Check out "Cloud Nine" and you'll see what I mean.
You may be correct, but my ears hear him more in the baritone range.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sotosound
edafan
I read his references and most of his information comes from family members; but he has vast contacts or has had with Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Jerry Wexler, Etta James, Ray Charles.
Aretha Franklin had no interest in discussing any of this part of her life. Her sister says that when she stands in front of the mirror, she sees somebody vastly different than what they see.
No, she will not be happy about this.
Rob... I've always wondered this, then WHY doesn't Benjaminson release a CD set of Flo's entire interview in full? It would sell like hotcakes! They can't sue a dead woman, and he's just the damn reporter, If someone slanders another person on air, CNN doesn't get sued... he should get off the pot before he's too old to enjoy the money.Quote:
Originally Posted by jobeterob
Nothing about The Supremes has sold like "hotcakes" since Dreamgirl. The general public just isn't interested and if they are, Florence's interviews wouldn't exactly be flying off the shelves. Benjaminson should sell them directly on his website in mp3 or CDs made to order and I'm sure it would satisfy the appetites of a few fans.Quote:
Originally Posted by jillfoster
As for Aretha, books like this come out all the time. Hell, how many "revealing" books are out there now that completely slander our current President? You don't see him assembling a legal team and going after every Bill O'Reilly or Dinesh D'Souza out there. Aretha should just take the high road and ignore it. Like Rob said, folks will pick it up, read it and move on. I don't see 36 weeks on the New York Times' Bestseller List.
The day of demand for Aretha Franklin books, Diana Ross books, Motown book, and especially a Florence Ballard interview is pretty much over; older people might be interested. But the public want a Taylor Swift book for sure.
We are interested; but that "we" isn't a very big market anymore or Baby It's Me would have been out 2 years ago.
One lesson we might take from the new David Ritz book is the same one we took from Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson ~ just because they had some hit does not mean they are not really f%%~~d up; they are; and we can be happy we are not them.
Didn't you say the same thing about Motown the musical?Quote:
Originally Posted by jobeterob
Not me. That one was a clear home run ~ just happy old time music.
But I don't think lots of young people want to read about Aretha having a baby at 12; it's not something appealing in the 2000's. Aretha and Diana are icons; but icons from another era; they happened in the 60's 70's 80's. They won't be "it" girls again and I'm not sure Aretha ever fell in that category anyway.
Because there is a bunch of stuff that she said that will make Diane Ross' fans angry!Quote:
Originally Posted by jillfoster
What are you talking about...they had some hits......They had all the hits and all the Grammys! Maybe they should have went to rehab like your favorite singer.......Quote:
Originally Posted by jobeterob
I'm sure a CD of Flo interviews would sell like hotcakes; that is, the kind of hotcakes Eva Gabor used to whip up on Green Acres.
It's starting up again...I'm going to drop Ralph a note...
Love Smark; always bring it all back to the basics! Good man.Quote:
Originally Posted by smark21
I don't see anything "starting up" just yet Lulu. Keep it civil guys.
Smark introduced great levity. Lisa & Elly Mae both made perfect CD pancakes, just on different shows. And they could fly like an eagle.
olivah!!!!! Olivah!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by smark21
Smark21 always brings out the giggles...much needed!
On this one and another thread!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lulu