Aretha Franklin - Awards and Achievements

Awards and Achievements

• On June 28, 1968 she became the second African-American woman to appear on the cover of Time magazine.

• On August 1, 1968, she sang the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, IL.

• In 1985, then-Gov. James Blanchard of Michigan declared her voice “a natural resource” during a ceremony that marked her 25 years in show business.

• Aretha Franklin is one of three musicians, along with Madonna & Marvin Gaye, to have singles peak at each of the top 10 positions on the US Billboard Hot 100.

• On January 20, 1987, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

• On March 29, 1987, Franklin sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania III.

• In 1994, Aretha Franklin was one of the honorees of the Kennedy Center Honors. (Source: Kennedy Center Honors: Past Recipients.)

• In September 1999, she was awarded The National Medal of Arts by President Clinton.

• In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked her ninth on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

• In 2005, she was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush.

• In 2005, she became the second woman (Madonna being the first) to be inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

• On February 6, 2006, she performed, along with Aaron Neville, "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XL.

• On May 13, 2006, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the Berklee College of Music.

• On April 1, 2007 Franklin sang "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania 23.

• On May 14, 2007, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

• Is an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority

• On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as MusiCares "Person of the Year".

• On February 14, 2008, Franklin was given the Vanguard award at the NAACP Image awards.

• On May 4, 2008, Franklin was given the Key to the City of Memphis at the 2008 "Memphis in May International Music Festival" by Mayor Dr. Willie Herenton during her performance onstage.

• On September 13, 2008, Franklin was ranked No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists list by Billboard.

• November 2008, Franklin was named by Rolling Stone magazine as the No. 1 all-time best singer of the rock era, according to the magazine's survey of 179 musicians, producers, Rolling Stone editors, and other music industry insiders.

• On January 20, 2009, Franklin performed "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama.

• May 2009, Franklin received an Honorary Doctorate of Music (D.Musc.) from Brown University

• On May 23, 2010, Franklin received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Yale University.

• On June 1, 2010, Aretha Franklin's recording of "Chain of Fools" (1967) was voted a Legendary Michigan Song.

• On February 13, 2011, the Grammy Awards paid tribute to Franklin with a medley of her classics by fellow singers Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride and Yolanda Adams

• On October 16, 2011, Franklin sang "Precious Lord (Take My Hand)" for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s memorial dedication ceremony in Washington, D.C.

• On June 5, 2012, Franklin was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music from Princeton University.

• On August 14, 2012, Franklin was inducted to the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame.