"I had not been in the jazz environment, having been brought up in the church. But once I got to New York, and I was signed to perform at The Village Gate and the Vanguard and clubs like that, and these - the Vanguard was one of the most elite, if not the most elite, jazz club out there."
Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist known as the "Queen of Soul." She became one of the most influential voices in popular music and received wide recognition for her recordings in gospel, soul, and R&B.