Princeton, PA — Her revolutionary music and style gave her the title Queen of Soul and now the prestigious Ivy League college Princeton University will be showing Respect to Aretha Franklin by giving her an honorary doctorate.
She was one of just six people to receive the prestigious award at the New Jersey educational establishment’s graduation ceremony on Tuesday.
The 70-year-old Detroit native looked overjoyed as she was made a doctor of music by the university, which was founded in 1746.
University orator and trustee Stephen Oxman gave a wonderfully verbose tribute to her ‘impeccably bold and fearless’ performance style, which he claimed takes listeners on a ‘journey to the depths of her soul.’
He added: ‘With her singular Amazing Grace, she continues to traverse musical bridges over troubled water, and by reminding us to think, do right and call on her, the Queen of Soul will forever command the world’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T.’
It is another gong to add to her ever more crowded mantelpiece.
She was the first woman honored by the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and later this year will be honored by the Gospel Music Hall of Fame for her contribution to popular music. And while the preacher’s daughter did not attend college, this is not even her first degree.
She received honorary doctor of music degrees from Berklee College of Music and Yale University in 2006 and 2010.
Aretha started her recording career, achieving great success with Atlantic from 1967 until 1976, and continued to have hits through the 80s and 90s. She released her 38th studio album A Woman Falling Out of Love last year.
Courtesy of www.thebellereport.net www.twitter.com/thebellereport
