Topic: Aretha Franklin

Carole King

Carole King's memoir is short on musical details, but long on the artist's personal saga.

Top Picks: Historian Niall Ferguson on PBS, Carole King's demos, and more

National Geographic's digital edition shines on the iPad, an old newsreel shows window washers in 1938, and more top picks.

James Brown: the electrifying one and only

Journalist RJ Smith explores the magic and mayhem of James Brown in a new biography of the legendary performer.

American Idol: Why is Jermaine Jones in Top 13 boys?

American Idol recap: The 'gentle giant' Jermaine Jones rejoined the other 12 male semifinalists for the first live American Idol episode.  How did the boys do?

Whitney Houston remembered at hometown funeral

The biggest names in entertainment swayed to gospel hymns at Whitney Houston's hometown funeral Saturday in the church where the future pop star once sang as a young girl.

Whitney Houston funeral: Family and friends gather for last goodbye

To the world, Whitney Houston was the pop queen with the perfect voice, the dazzling diva with regal beauty. Those closest to her will gather Saturday at a private funeral to say goodbye.

Whitney Houston: a singing sensation silenced too soon

Whitney Houston, who died tragically Saturday in Los Angeles, was a child of the African-American church and a trailblazer for black female singers. Whitney Houston, some say, had a 'once-in-a-generation' voice. 

Whitney Houston was the golden girl of the music industry

Whitney Houston, who died Saturday, wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

'Soul Train' icon Don Cornelius changed the beat of the nation

'Soul Train' creator, Don Cornelius, took the pulse of black culture and broadcast it into living rooms across the nation. Before Facebook and Twitter, he connected a generation of teens. 

Winfrey farewell show taped live in front of 13,000 fans

Winfrey farewell: The show being taped Tuesday afternoon will be the finale of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' according to Harpo Productions. The show will air on Wednesday.

Oprah Winfrey bumps NBA playoffs, welcomes Maria Shriver to United Center

Oprah Winfrey, Maria Shriver, Tom Hanks, Beyonce, and Michael Jordan were part of a star-studded cast at the Tuesday taping of two of the last Oprah Winfrey shows in Chicago's United Center.

Chain, chain, chain ... chain CPI

Is the Consumer Price Index really the best way to measure inflation?

American Idol contestants rock, Paul McDonald peaks

American Idol contestants put on the best Idol show of the season Wednesday with rock 'n' roll hits. Paul McDonald and Scotty McCreery showed American Idol fans what they can do.

Christina Aguilera national anthem: why she flubbed it

Christina Aguilera mumbled some lines and moved others around at her Super Bowl performance. Here are two possible reasons that the Christina Aguilera national anthem didn't go more smoothly.

Matching kids with adults who live their dream

Chris Balme puts together at-risk teens and business-world mentors who show them a brighter future.

Isabel Wilkerson, author of “The Warmth of Other Suns,” on "the biggest underreported story of the 20th century"

Why did 6 million US blacks leave their homes? Author Isabel Wilkerson talks about "the Great Migration" and how it reshaped the US.

Unemployment up? Not in these four maverick cities.

The US lost jobs in September and the unemployment rate remains at a high 9.6 percent, the US Department of Labor reported Friday. But some metropolitan areas are bucking the trend and adding jobs. By making everything from food to music and band instruments, these four metros have seen the biggest year-over-year decline in their unemployment rates. Is your city on this list?

Aretha Franklin: R-E-S-P-E-C-T the arts in school budgets

Aretha Franklin and Condoleezza Rice make soulful music together

Aretha Franklin and Condoleezza Rice got together to play a song or two for charity.

Cola wars return: Pepsi MAX vs. Coke Zero

Cola wars have returned between soft drink behemoths Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, but this time with fewer calories.

Top Picks: Spoleto Festival, Regina Carter, Cooking Channel, and other recommendations

Spoleto Festival USA opens, violin virtuoso Regina Carter's new album, the new Cooking Channel launches, and more top picks.

Six Picks: Recommendations from the Monitor staff

Norah Jones's latest CD, a contemporary 'Alice in Wonderland' on the Syfy Channel, acclaimed Pixar-animated movie shorts on ABC, and more.

World music in the spotlight

New CD releases highlight turning points in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, African, and NuYorican music.

Six Picks: Recommendations from the Monitor staff

Synthetic diamonds that fool the experts, L.A. on foot, a website for the philosophical, and more.