Aretha Franklin was basically the lead singer of a group

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

They should have been billed as Aretha Franklin & The Sweet Inspirations.

Discuss!

[rod_rick]

They should have been billed as Aretha Franklin & The Sweet Inspirations.

Discuss!

No I wouldn't say that because Aretha's signature song "Respect" has her sisters singing background. Yes the Sweets did a lot of backing vocals for Aretha, but so did her sisters.

[copley]

No, don't buy that at all. Next!

[smark21]

You can make the case of just about all solo artists as they front a group consisting of musicians and background singers. Very few solo acts out there who sing acapella alone on stage and on recordings.

[splanky]

yea, right....
then I guess Marvin Gaye was an Andante, an Original and on Try It Baby a Temptation...
Not!
There have been a number of groups where the most prominent, dominant lead singer would
sometimes fall back into the group on vocals to sing harmonies or back another singer would could do
leads, i.e. Barbara Harris in the Toys, Earlean McCrea in The Cookies,& Patty Hamilton in the Lovelites,
but Aretha has been basically a solo act since she was a kid. You've have a better case with somebody
like George Clinton who really relied on every feather under his wings...

[luke]

lol-discuss. Yes and no. Call and respnse vocals made her records very exciting and soulful. But with Aretha outfront aint no question she was the ONE. Perhaps only someone so sure of her gift could have Cissy doing a solo on Aint No Way!!