In the Footsteps of the Queen

Which of today's artists, were inspired by Aretha?

The BET Honors Salutes Aretha Franklin 

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The BET Honors Salutes Aretha Franklin 

Aretha Franklin: March 25 - The Queen of Soul turns 71 years old.

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In the Footsteps of the Queen - With that distinctively airy grit in her voice, Aretha Franklin is one of the most respected (and covered) vocalists of the soul music generation and all of its offspring (neosoul, R&B, and the like).Hits including her run of the charts in the 60s with songs like, "Respect," "Chain of Fools," "(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman," and "Think," earned her the title of "The Queen of Soul;" and her vocal range helped usher in the use of the word "diva" to describe singers in genres other than opera.That kind of cultural impact has made R&B divas who've debuted since, in her debt. Read on to see a crop of crooners who are carrying on tradition.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Mary J. Blige - Amber Ridinger, daughter of Motives Cosmetics owner Lauren Ridinger, tied the knot in 2013 in Puerto Rico in a star-studded affair. Among the celebs in attendance were Mary J. Blige and Marc Anthony, who both performed for the newlyweds and their guests.(Photo: C.Smith/ WENN.com)

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All I Need - Mary J.'s influence on a generation is undeniable, but before she became the official Queen of Hip Hop Soul with her duet with Method Man for his "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need," it was Franklin who was spitting so much on game on her 1971 version, "You're All I Need to Get By" (a remake of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's original released just a few years before). (Photo: C.Smith/ WENN.com)

Who Runs the World? - Beyoncé, of course! Peep Queen Bey slay the crowd as she performs live with her new chic bob at the Virgin Media Stage on day 1 of the V Festival at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, England.(Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

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Get It Right - The way Beyoncé is being embraced as a symbol of girl power and feminism, Franklin is recognized as a symbol of Black pride, during and since the U.S. civil rights movement.(Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

"A Woman's Worth," Alicia Keys  - Alicia Keys first proved she was a triple threat with her debut, Songs in A Minor. The album's second single, "A Woman's Worth," for example, featured Keys's talents not only as a singer, but a songwriter and producer as well. Her hard work paid off — the song was granted an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song the same year of its release. (Photo: WENN.com)

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A Rose is Still a Rose - Alicia Keys broke out as a homegirl-next door with those cornrows and her unique blend of hip-hop, R&B, and classical piano; sitting comfortably on the bluesy sides of the rhythms, with her Songs in A Minor, like Franklin does on "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man."(Photo: WENN.com)

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Mariah Carey Is Back - With "#Beautiful" all over the charts, Mariah Carey has once again shut music down and shown why she is the voice of this generation. With golden vocals she'll take the BET Awards stage and although we'd love to see her and Nicki Minaj do something together, she may just do something with confirmed performer Miguel. If you want to see how this goes down tune in June 30 at 8P/7C!(Photo: D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

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Voice of an Angel - All that pitch perfect wailing that Mariah Carey does, Franklin perfected, and they playfully nod to each other's diva-ness when sharing a stage. Or, for example, when MC sampled Franklin's "Ain't No Way" for her "It's a Wrap;" and, for another, the way Franklin covered MC's "Touch My Body" for a live show in D.C.(Photo: D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

Soul Sister - Fantasia considers Franklin her "idol," and performed her "Chain of Fools" on Season 3 of American Idol, the show that catapulted 'Ta to fame. She and Franklin eventually even collaborated for Franklin's 2007 album, Jewels In The Crown: All-Star Duets With The Queen.(Photo: FOX via Getty Images)

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Soul Sister - Fantasia considers Franklin her "idol," and performed her "Chain of Fools" on Season 3 of American Idol, the show that catapulted 'Ta to fame. She and Franklin eventually even collaborated for Franklin's 2007 album, Jewels In The Crown: All-Star Duets With The Queen.(Photo: FOX via Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: FOX via Getty Images

Say a Prayer - Aretha Franklin's gospel roots can be heard in Faith Evans' vibrato, and Faith has become a diva in her own right, flowing effortlessly as an R&B singer over gospel instrumentation for her Keep the Faith.(Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET)

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Say a Prayer - Aretha Franklin's gospel roots can be heard in Faith Evans' vibrato, and Faith has become a diva in her own right, flowing effortlessly as an R&B singer over gospel instrumentation for her Keep the Faith.(Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET)

Photo By Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET

Day Dreamers - Jill Scott can gently ride a melody, or she can put down the mic and her voice will still fill an opera house. Those kinds of resounding vocal cords are what put the "soul" in the Queen's title, and what made Scott one of the most revered vocalists to debut since the turn of the new millennium.(Photo: Gabriel Grams/Splash News)

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Day Dreamers - Jill Scott can gently ride a melody, or she can put down the mic and her voice will still fill an opera house. Those kinds of resounding vocal cords are what put the "soul" in the Queen's title, and what made Scott one of the most revered vocalists to debut since the turn of the new millennium.(Photo: Gabriel Grams/Splash News)

Sweet Passion - That exuberance in Ledisi's voice when she sings "Pieces of Me," and the way that she drops deep into her gut for "Hate Me," is reminiscent of the Queen. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Sweet Passion - That exuberance in Ledisi's voice when she sings "Pieces of Me," and the way that she drops deep into her gut for "Hate Me," is reminiscent of the Queen. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T - "It's been a long time since an artist like Adele has come along," Franklin once said, especially noting the U.K. singer's abilities to pen "lyrics that women can immediately relate to." And the Queen would know -- those are exactly the type of songs for which she is adored.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T - "It's been a long time since an artist like Adele has come along," Franklin once said, especially noting the U.K. singer's abilities to pen "lyrics that women can immediately relate to." And the Queen would know -- those are exactly the type of songs for which she is adored.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)