Erma Franklin
Encyclopedia
Erma Franklin was an American
gospel
and R&B
singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara (née Siggers)
and the Reverend C. L. Franklin
and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin
. Her best known recording was the original version of "Piece of My Heart
", written and produced by Bert Berns
, for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award
.
, but reared in Detroit, where her father was pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church
. She was raised by both her parents until the age of ten when her parents separated with her mother taking her eldest sibling, half-brother Vaughn, with her to Buffalo, New York
in 1948. Barbara Siggers-Franklin died four years later on March 7, 1952 in Buffalo
, New York
.
During her childhood Erma and her sisters Aretha
and Carolyn
sang at New Bethel Baptist Church. Later, when sister Aretha became a recording artist, Erma provided backing vocals
and toured with Aretha. Among her most notable back up performances for her sister was on Aretha's signature tune, "'Respect
". Erma's own solo
recording
career was hampered by misfortune and by contracts
with record label
s who did not find the most suitable material for her husky voice. In the mid 1970s Erma left the music industry, apart from occasional engagements with Aretha.
In addition to her siblings, Aretha, Vaughn, and Carl Ellan Kelley (her father's daughter by Mildred Jennings), Franklin is survived by her two children; Sabrina Garrett and Thomas Garrett Jr. She is interred at Detroit's historic Woodlawn Cemetery
on North Woodward Avenue.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara (née Siggers)
Barbara Siggers Franklin
Barbara Vernice Siggers Franklin was the mother of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin and wife of C. L. Franklin, the famous black Baptist preacher. She married C.L...
and the Reverend C. L. Franklin
C. L. Franklin
Clarence LaVaughn Franklin , was an American Baptist minister, a civil rights activist, and father of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin.-Background:...
and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. Her best known recording was the original version of "Piece of My Heart
Piece of My Heart
"Piece of My Heart" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 and had a hit with it...
", written and produced by Bert Berns
Bert Berns
Bertrand Russell Berns , most commonly known as Bert Berns as well as Bert Russell and Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s...
, for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
.
Biography
Erma Vernice Franklin was born in Shelby, MississippiShelby, Mississippi
Shelby is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
, but reared in Detroit, where her father was pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church
New Bethel Baptist Church
New Bethel Baptist Church is a historic church on Bethel Valley Road in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.It was built in 1924 and added to the National Register in 1992....
. She was raised by both her parents until the age of ten when her parents separated with her mother taking her eldest sibling, half-brother Vaughn, with her to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in 1948. Barbara Siggers-Franklin died four years later on March 7, 1952 in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
During her childhood Erma and her sisters Aretha
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
and Carolyn
Carolyn Franklin
Carolyn Ann Franklin was an American singer and songwriter and the baby sister of musician Aretha Franklin and daughter of prominent preacher C. L. Franklin.-Biography:...
sang at New Bethel Baptist Church. Later, when sister Aretha became a recording artist, Erma provided backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
and toured with Aretha. Among her most notable back up performances for her sister was on Aretha's signature tune, "'Respect
Respect (song)
"Respect" is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. "Respect" became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The music in the two versions is significantly different, and through a few minor changes in the lyrics, the stories told...
". Erma's own solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
career was hampered by misfortune and by contracts
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s who did not find the most suitable material for her husky voice. In the mid 1970s Erma left the music industry, apart from occasional engagements with Aretha.
Family
Franklin married Thomas Garrett and gave birth to two children in the early 1960s - Thomas Jr. and Sabrina. She later went to work for the Boysville Holy Cross Community Center - a Detroit organization that helps homeless and disadvantaged minority children. Erma Franklin was diagnosed with throat cancer in the spring of 2002 and died in Detroit, aged 64, several months later.In addition to her siblings, Aretha, Vaughn, and Carl Ellan Kelley (her father's daughter by Mildred Jennings), Franklin is survived by her two children; Sabrina Garrett and Thomas Garrett Jr. She is interred at Detroit's historic Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
Woodlawn Cemetery is a cemetery located at 19975 Woodward Avenue, across from the Michigan State Fairgrounds, between 7 Mile Road and 8 Mile Road, in Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the area's most well-known cemeteries.-History:...
on North Woodward Avenue.
Charted singles
- "Piece of My HeartPiece of My Heart"Piece of My Heart" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 and had a hit with it...
" - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#9 - "Gotta Find Me a Lover (24 Hours a Day)Gotta Find Me a Lover (24 Hours a Day)"Gotta Find Me a Lover " is the name of a song that became a hit on Billboard's R&B chart in 1969, reaching #40, for Erma Franklin. It was written by Carl Davis and Eugene Record. The song was Franklin's last R&B hit. It was Brunswick # 55403...
"