Aretha Franklin proved that she and only she was the only 'diva' on that stage. The critics who watched the show all agreed that she was truly regal and the only singer on the show who could honesty be called a true "diva." The others were obviously "in training."
She didn't have much competition and the other ladies seemed a bit intimidated by her presence. By the last half hour of the two hour show, it had become "the Aretha Franklin show." Her command was so strong, her co-stars materialized into background dancers when Aretha went into a surprise gospel number that none of the women seem to know.
The finale included the Carol King classic, "A Natural Woman," a huge hit for Franklin, on which Aretha "went to church," leaving the others to watch in awe (or was it disgust?) Gospel singers are notorious for "stealing the show."
Aretha, by her standards, was just average, really. If she had had to "compete" with say, Patti LaBelle, Bettye LaVette, Etta James, Yolanda Adams and some other soulful divas, you might have had a show that would have gone down "in infamy."
With Celine Dion, Gloria Estaphen, Carol King, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey as her competition, all Aretha had to do was glide through this one.
She didn't have much competition and the other ladies seemed a bit intimidated by her presence. By the last half hour of the two hour show, it had become "the Aretha Franklin show." Her command was so strong, her co-stars materialized into background dancers when Aretha went into a surprise gospel number that none of the women seem to know.
The finale included the Carol King classic, "A Natural Woman," a huge hit for Franklin, on which Aretha "went to church," leaving the others to watch in awe (or was it disgust?) Gospel singers are notorious for "stealing the show."
Aretha, by her standards, was just average, really. If she had had to "compete" with say, Patti LaBelle, Bettye LaVette, Etta James, Yolanda Adams and some other soulful divas, you might have had a show that would have gone down "in infamy."
With Celine Dion, Gloria Estaphen, Carol King, Shania Twain and Mariah Carey as her competition, all Aretha had to do was glide through this one.