Respect. Thankfully my father has a version of respect like nobodys vision. Do we have it on video . I dont need to share my wedding video because it would be sad for everyone to see that. But she had a huge impact on all of our lives. Look at our faces. This is a woman who just passed and we are listening to her music and dancing. I think it is an interesting tribute to Aretha Franklin. It is a sad moment, 50 years of producing and performing, and yet we are celebrating her life, which is really i think the way she would have liked it. Her musical life, her life as a human being. As a civil rights activist. As a civil rights icon. Amazing. Thank you for that. Im ali velschi. And im stephanie ruehl. We just mentioned her, the queen of soul, the legendary Aretha Franklin has died. She was 76 years old. She died earlier this morning at her home in detroit, michigan, and she was surrounded by dear family and friends. Clearly an iconic figure, a musical power house with an instantly recognizable voice that blended gospel, soul and r b over an incredible six decades. Ms. Aretha franklin built a legacy that is unmatched among her contemporaries. Nbcs lester holt has more on the life and legacy of the oneandonly Aretha Franklin. Respect there has never been a voice like hers. And there may never again be anyone like her. Baby please dont go Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul, and icon of American Music. Say a prayer for you no other female singer was ago celebrated or honored as Aretha Franklin. 18 grammys, 21 number billboard singles, 45 songs in the top 40. Our nation honors ms. Aretha franklin. In 2005 she received a president ial medal of freedom, a deeplyemotional moment for the singer who had been honored previously by president clinton with a National Medal of arts and by the kennedy center. Frankly was a diva and she made no bones about it, but she was also a trailblazer for women and an africanamerican artist who achieved success against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement. Ill fly away her list of firsts goes on forever, like being the first woman to be inducted into the rock roll hall of fame. She used her voice to crash through barriers. My country tis of thee Rolling Stone once ranked her the number one singer of alltime. She had an almost maternal attitude toward her own songs. Theyre like my children, i love them all, but there are some that i like a little more than others. Respect, certainly the freeway, jump to it, natural woman. Millions of americans know her music by heart. All we need is to hear the first few notes, we know the rest, all because she showed the way and set the standard chain, chain, chain, chain of fools Aretha Louise franklin was born in memphis, tennessee. Her father, reverend c. L. Franklin, was a wellknown baptist minister. Her mother was a singer and pianist. It wasnt always a happy or stable home, and so music played a big role in Aretha Franklins life. She was a child prodigy. She was performing in church and playing piano by the age of ten. They put a small box in front of the pulpit so i could be seen over the pulpit, and thats where i would stand and sing. Hold my hand by 14 she recorded her first album. Teenage motherhood derailed her musical career for a spell, but by her early 20s she had hit the top ten with her song i never loved a man. Loved a man the way that i i love you what you want one year later she won her first two grammys for respect and as they say, a star was born. All im asking is for a little respect when you are on stage, something electric like a neon song lights up in side lady soul, ms. Aretha. What do you feel like . I feel good. Does it happen really, i light up . Yes, maam. It didnt take long for her to be dubbed the queen of soul, and there was no argument. After hitting a rough spot with dismal record sales in the mid 70s, franklin found a way to break through again in the cult classic the blues brothers. Freedom Freedom Freedom she was signed to arister records soon after and couldnt be stopped after that. Countless hits and honors followed. Memorable collaborations with the greats of our time, including the late luther van dross and her huge hit with George Michael. Knew you were waiting for me sher life wher life was not struggles and demons. In her later years she preferred a life of privacy and stayed home in detroit for long stretches of time. Aretha franklin is survived by her four sons and millions of fans around the world. I love what i do, and i just wouldnt be doing anything else. In fact, i thought, what else would i have done . You may me feel you make me feel like a natural woman lester holt, nbc news. A life welllived. Lets bring in michael erik dyson, a close friend of arethas. Aalong with us eric deggins, nbc media analyst. You guys stay there for a second. We want to bring in aaron nevell who is joining us now. Aaron sang with Aretha Franklin at the soups bowl in detroit at 2004, it was the lions versus the vikings. Aaron, what was it like to be up there next to Aretha Franklin . Aaron, you with us . Okay. We got an audio problem with aaron. Well get to aaron as soon as we are back to our assembled guests. Michael, tell me what you what interaction you have had recently with Aretha Franklin. Well, i have spoken to her several times on the phone, visited with her. You know, an extraordinary woman. Very private. A woman of extraordinary dignity and grace, and huge curiosity about the world. Many people didnt realize, she would call me up sometimes asking me about archeological digs on biblical relics. She would talk about the history channel. She talked a lot about politics. She was wellversed in current events. So here was a woman who had broad intellectual curiosities and a great canvas upon which to paint her concern, but, of course, the center of her being was the artistic media, the profound commitment to soul music, the profound commitment to great music, the profound commitment to exploring any song to its height and its depth, and being able to feel the internal rhythm of a particular song and render it in a way that none others could. So when otis redding heard her, he said, basically she done took my song and i aint going to never get it back. Because what he and otis redding was a genius himself. Died at 26 years old in a plane crash, but when he heard Aretha Franklins rendering of his song, she brought depth and gravity and insight to that song that he had never begun to understand or plumb because she was a woman, because she brought a sense of burgeoning racial pride and deep and profound understanding of what it meant to be a woman. Those two things came together and her art was fuelled by her relentless drive to be excellent and, of course, to be the diva she always was. I think the audio has been repaired and we have aaron nevell, soul singer and r b star with us. Talk us through 2006, performing in detroiltt, michigan, the tow where Aretha Franklin grew up, performing the National Anthem at the superbowl. It was a great feeling to share the stage with aretha. I had met her a couple of times before and she was always pleasant and a real nice lady and a great talent. I wrote this about her. I said, i know that the heavenly choir is welcoming Aretha Franklin with open arms. She was definitely the queen of soul. Im so happy that i knew her and had the privilege of sharing the stage with her. I can see her now putting on her golden robe and slippers while god takes her in his loving arms, while shes singing precious lord, take my hand. May she rest forever. Special love for Aretha Franklin. Aaron neville. The heavenly choir got a great new addition. A solo act in there. Yes. Aaron, you yourself had a remarkably long and successful musical career. This is a woman who has been performing for 50 years throughout, you know, her career, and times have changed so much. Shes had a role in civil rights. Shes had remarkable influence in different genres of music. She even succeeded in opera. What is your sense of Aretha Franklin . We call her the queen of soul, but she is the queen of so much more really. She was just the queen for me, you know. She was a special lady. I remember one time she was in new orleans at the jazz fest, and i did a thing called the field of cotton. And it was like a commercial. Aretha franklin pulled up in her memo and the guy said, she would like to have a word with you. I went to the car and the window came down and she said, love that cotton commercial. Thats one of my highlights with aretha. Eric deckins, we know you as a music analyst but you were a music critic before this. When you look through Aretha Franklins career starting in gospel, moving into secular moving, into r b and into soul, into pop, into opera, and throughout her life sort of bobbing and weaving between different types of music. Yeah. You made a great point just a little bit earlier that she was the queen of so much more than soul. One of the greatest artists to prove that a voice that was steeped in black music traditions like gospel and soul could then go on to conquer the worlds of pop and even perform an operatic contest. I was actually a recording artist in 1980s. I was in a band signed to motown. Even then we spent time dissecting the vocal ability and the performances of Aretha Franklin in her later hits like freeway of love and others. She had a way of taking apart a song and bringing power to it and knowing exactly when to sing the heck out of it and exactly when to pull back. You look at singers ranging from Whitney Houston to mariah carey to mayor ry j. Blige and beyone and you will see her inspiration in them. Eric, was she a mentor to these women . Clearly an inspiration, but was she a leader among female artists . I think her example was certainly provided a lot of leadership. Again, you talked earlier about how songs like respect and natural woman inspired women in general, but certainly inspired female singers to realize what they could accomplish and how they could be successful. The first woman inducted into the rock roll hall of fame. Beyond that, she had difficulties that she overcame in her career. When she was first signed to columbia records, those records werent necessarily as successful as people wanted. She moved to atlantic and became a legend. When things started to peter out there she moved to artister records and did the stuff in the 1980s we remember, freeway of love and those classic hits. She has been resilient, someone who proved their talents out time and time again. People forget she was an amazing pianist as well. Incredibly talented. I spoke to carole king and she was talking about having to experience being around Aretha Franklin on piano was extraordinary. Everybody stick around. Were going to take a quick break and when we come back we will have more on the life and legacy of Aretha Franklin. We will hear from carole king as well. Stay with us. Sweet land of library of thee i sing land where my fathers died land of the pilgrims pride baby boomers, heres something you should know. Theres a serious virus out there that 1 in 30 boomers has, yet most dont even know it. A virus thats been almost forgotten. Its hepatitis c. Hep c can hide in the body for years without symptoms. Left untreated it can lead to liver damage, even liver cancer. The only way to know if you have hep c is to ask your Healthcare Provider for the simple blood test. 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What you want baby i got what you need you know i got all im asking for a little respect just a little bit just a little bit just a little bit just a little bit i aint going to be around for you long aint gonna do all long all im asking is for a little respect just a little bit just a little bit do it for me just a little bit yeah, im about to give you just give me some just a, just a, just a, just a do it for me just a little bit come on, yall lets have a good time oo, oo, you see guess what i cannot tell you the amount of dresses i have ripped and shirts my husband has wept through at weddings dancing to Aretha Franklin. Right there is Aretha Franklin performing in 2009 at president obamas inauguration. Im sorry. Go ahead. One of her biggest hits was natural woman which was written by legendary singer song writer carole king. I sat down with king and reverend al sharp ton to talk about the queen of soul including some of her greatest performances. My most dramatic memory if you want to call it that, or endearing memory, was she sang at the white house in the last year of president obama for a jazz night. I remember i got asia and i got to the white house and was saying to somebody, were going through and they were having it out on the white house lawn under a tent. And i saw will who traveled with ms. Franklin, and i said, wheres the queen . And he did like this and brought me to the back and she was in a room getting her hair done. She looked at me and said, reverend al, it dont get no better than that, aretha getting her hair done in the white house with a black president , if daddy could see me now. Wow. I didnt know whether to laugh or cry because of the moment. Sure. And the president really loved Aretha Franklin. 50 years of american history. Her performing life was 50 years of american history. As the reverend said, her father was a preacher. She started in gospel. She broke all sorts of records in r b, and then in pop. Talk to me about her influence on music, on contemporary music. Well, i would say first of all i am, you know, a white jewish girl, was a white jewish girl and totally, you know, influenced by her piano playingstyle, which by the way was remarkable, yeah. At the Kennedy Centers honors thing, one of the first things this was december 2015. Right. When she sang natural woman for you. She sang it for me, and later i wrote an article in which she said i was singing it for her but it sure felt like that. I was just, oh, my god, because the first thing she did which she doesnt usually do in her later years, she came out on that stage and she sat down at the piano and started to play. I turned to my daughter, who was sitting behind me, i said, shes playing. And you can see more of my discussion with carole king and the reverend al sharpton on all in tonight at 8 00 p. M. Here on msnbc. You know, carole king cowrote natural woman for Aretha Franklin, and she said that she tried to capture arethas voice when doing it. She said a jewish girl from new jersey, what did she know about that . Boy, did she capture arethas voice. She said obviously aretha did it beautifully. Lets listen. Looking out on the morning rain i used to feel so inspired when i knew i had to face another day oh, made me feel so tired before the day i met you life was so unkind you are the key to my peace of mind you make me feel you make me feel you make me feel like a natural woman when my soul was lost and found came along to claim it oh, yes i didnt know just what was wrong with me your kiss helped me, baby now im no longer what im living if i make it happen i dont need you make me feel you make me feel sponsored by let your perfect drive come together at the lincoln summer invitation sales event. Get 0 apr on select 2018 lincoln models plus 1,000 bonus cash. When mit rocked our world. Ailed we called usaa. And they greeted me as they always do. Sergeant baker, how are you . They took care of everything a to z. Having insurance is something everyone needs, but having usaa now thats a privilege. I love what i do and i just wouldnt be doing anything else. In fact, i thought what else would i have done if i had not been a singer, and i would have been a prima ballerina. Thats what i would have been. Really . Or probably a nurse. A nurse or thats a heck of a queen of soul, prima ballerina. Im happy you chose what you did. I am too. I am too. It is definitely what i am supposed to be doing. Is it your calling . Yes, it is my calling. You know how they say in the church you have a calling. A prima ballerina or a nurse. Well, she ended up a performer, and certainly a healer with her music. Yeah. Millions at this moment this morning all remembering the great Aretha Franklin as a cultural icon and musical legend. That is particularly true in her hometown of detroit, michigan where aretha passed just a few hours ago, surrounded by her Close Friends and family. Nbcs Steve Patterson is there. Steve, detroit, such an important city for Aretha Franklin. How are people honoring and remembering her there . Reporter so, im from new jersey, guys, and i can tell you all morning long weve been hearing detroitstyle tributes. By the way, these are the streets where she used to walk and grew up. The church behind me, so much history here at new bethel baptist. Weve been hearing these incredible tributes people driving down the street blasting Aretha Franklin, some younger than me, some obviously much older that grew up on her work, but everybody can appreciate the contribution she made not only to music but also to this city. Again, i mentioned new bethel baptist. This was really a center for the Civil Rights Movement. Her father, c. L. Franklin, the street which is just perpendicular here to my left, it is named after him. He was a huge figure in the Civil Rights Movement, and then when she started growing up and started singing in the church, famous people from all over the country would come to visit him. They would hear this incredible piano and in the next room come to find a fiveyearold girl on the piano. Of course, thats Aretha Franklin. She grew up singing in the church. She grew up releasing sort of these radio broadcasts. It was sort of a first for gospel music, especially here, and then she created her first album at 14. So detroit has a huge, Lasting Legacy with her. Over time, over the years so much has been made about who she is, the original diva, the queen of soul, larger than life. Around here she was just known as ms. Franklin, and her roots in detroit, just as her roots in gospel stayed put, so too did she come back and contribute so much to the church. She donated every year, had concerts at the church here. Again, i mentioned i grew up here, my family had deep roots in detroit and motown. Her Fashion Designer for more than 30 years, they stayed incredibly Close Friends, touched point at every point in his life, a guy by the name of scott bard. In fact, in 2016 she brought him on stage. He was sitting at one of her concerts and she said, scott, you have to come up here. Also spoke to al mackenzie a moment ago, a director for her music in 2016. He mentioned how powerful her voice was, how much was around her musically. She would come with these incredible, massive pieces of equipment, and obviously the bands she would bring in were huge. But the biggest moments that she would have on stage were about these t10 to 20 minutes of her playing piano in her sets. The spotlight was on her and the powerful voice really shown through. Her roots here, her contributions to detroit, as you hear more music playing, really meant a lot to the people here. They meant a lot to me growing up. Back to you. No kidding. A city which is the heart of so many great musicians and Aretha Franklin. Thanks, steve, well stay close to you. Joining us on the phone is glen turman, arethas second husband. Glen, you were actually married at New Bethel Baptist Church where steve is, is that correct . Oh, yes. I remember it well. What a day. You saw aretha within the last few days . I was there tuesday, yes. Talk to me about that. Glad i got an opportunity to spend time with her. We we had time together there. That was very moving, very moving. She was, of course, in and out of consciousness at that time, but when she regained conscience, we were able to connect with one another, and it was a very powerful moment. Very powerful moment for two friends to get a chance to say what we had to say to one another. Was she taking stock but through the spirit. Was she taking stock on the extraordinary life that shes lived . Im sorry . Was she taking stock in those last few words you had with her, was aretha reflecting on her contribution, on all that she has done . Did she realize what she had meant to so many people . I wouldnt say it was about taking stock. It was more of a personal, private moment for two people who cared for each other to just kind of look at one another and know that, you know, what we had shared and meant to one another. It wasnt about any taking stock of accomplishments or anything of professional achievements. It was all very touching in terms of family. It was a family moment, you know, and those other things are not really at the forefront of ones mind at times like that. Then what would you want people to know about her . Those of us who are fans of hers for years and years but who didnt get to know her personally, what would you want us to know about the woman she was . Well, the first thing that always comes to mind to me is i would want people to know about her sense of humor. She had a tremendous sense of humor. I dont know how many jokes she had in her repertoire of jokes, but she loved to tell jokes and loved to keep you laughing and just had a great and was able to make some jokes out of situations that you wouldnt think were funny, you know. She could find the humor in situations, whether it be people or peoples, you know, behavior or whatever it is. But she had a tremendous sense of humor. What was she you know, we all the interesting thing, stephanie was just talking about all of the weddings we have danced to her music at. We had an intimate relationship with her because we all associate her music with something. What was she what did she think about personally . Because she was such an inspiration to people, where did she draw her inspiration . Well, you know, her father she adored and he was a very, very powerful man, a very strong man, and he had a great deal of affect on her in terms of his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and what his church, the church that you showed in the opening segment with, meant to the community. So she was rooted in the importance of giving back, of her people, of what that all meant. So, you know, everything that she took upon herself to do had that as a base. What inspired her . What drove her . Aretha was curious. She was a curious person, curious about many things. Wed sit and the tabletop had clippings from several magazines about all kinds of different categories, whether it was clippings she would take out about a recipe or clippings she would cut out of a magazine about clothing or clippings about travel or things about this is, you know, before google and the internet and all of that. So she there were papers all over the table, you know, or our offices about Different Things that she was curious about and was looking into and getting ideas for concerts and ideas for shows. Oh, this is a good idea, did you read this, that kind of thing. Once she bought an entire set of books from harvard, Harvard Business school. Read this, glen, read this, we need to be up on this. I dont know if im up to a harvard graduation. Thats great. You know, its going to take me a while to read these Business Books from harvard, you know. No, but she was that was aretha, you know. She stayed up on things. You said on the table there were different kind of clippings, recipes, travel. Did she like to cook . We think of her as an entertainer, but maybe privately among friends and family she entertained. Oh, she could burn. Aretha loved to burn. Are you kidding, she could burn. She got an Honorary Degree in 2014. Glen must have told that story at harvard, all right, lets get her a degree. The first thing he said was how curious she was, how she would call up and ask questions. So thats remarkable, that curiosity. It is kind of noteworthy though that today, the day on which Aretha Franklin passed, it is august the 16th, 41 years to the day that the king of rock roll passed away. Elvis presley died 41 years ago today. The king of rock and the queen of soul. Thanks, glen, glen turman, Aretha Franklins former husband. An honor to hear such personal stories from someone who knew and loved her. And great stories, right . What do you want of people . That theyre curious and they have a great sense of humor. Thats kind of what i wanted the hear about Aretha Franklin. Youre going to have to read up on this, here is an article for you. I like that. There is much more still ahead honoring the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin. Here is a look at her star on the hollywood walk of fame. Duncan just protected his family with a 500,000 Life Insurance policy. 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Entyvio®. Relief and remission within reach. Ancestrydna can open you to a world of new cultures to explore. With two times more detail than any other dna test. You can get a new taste of your heritage. Save 40 with our lowest price ever. Country club like morning and night and win the battle i know the taste of victory though i went through some nights consumed by the shadows i was crippled emotionally mmmm somehow i made it through the heartache yes, i did i escaped i found my way out of the darkness i kept my faith i know you did kept my faith when the river was deep i didnt falter when the mountain was high that there George Michael and Aretha Franklin, two artists who made a huge contribution to the Music Industry and cultural icons. Of course, we have this morning the breaking news, the legendary queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, has passed away at the age of 76. She died this morning at 9 50 a. M. At her home in detroit surrounded by her dearest friends and family. The official cause of death was advanced pancreatic cancer. She was an iconic figure. Think about this. An 18time grammy award winner, and the first female inducted into the rock roll hall of fame. A musical power house with an instantly recognizable voice that blended gospel, soul and r b. Over an incredible six decades, ms. Aretha franklin built a legacy that is unmatched among any of her contemporaries. Joining us is chris farley, wall street journal senior editorial director and with us onset president of the National Action network and msnbc host the reverend al sharpton. Reverend al, we heard from you a while ago when we played the clip you and i had with carole king about some of your memories of Aretha Franklin. Something that is important that may not be clear to everybody who has danced to her songs or cried to her songs or laughed to her songs is her activity as a civil rights icon, as an activist, as a supporter. You have some pretty specific examples of things she has done over the years. She was the daughter of reverend c. L. Franklin, who was a partner and coactivist with dr. King. Dr. King first did his i have a dream speech publicly in a speech he did in detroit of june of 1963, where he talked about a dream that later he did in that same august of the same year in washington, and she grew up in that household and she never left the movement. She, in fact, used to tell me how she in dr. Kings last year did several cities with Harry Belafonte raising money so dr. King could make payroll. And then from there, and we are talking the 60s, from there all the way till now she was always involved. She would call me when we were in battles and say, reverend al, explain to me the issue, im going to send you something. She would send a check to help us out with our work with National Action network, she would come on my radio. So she came here in 30 rock and did politics nation and she did interviews very you know, very she was very selective. Right. But for her to come to the studio was not something she would often do, but she wanted to come and show that she identified with us, and she was always concerned, always politically involved, always on the forefront of doing something, but her way. She said, im not there to lead marches. She said with the womens movement, im not Gloria Steinem but im going to use my platform and my talent. Believe me, to have her give her impermature on the cause, it brought it a great story, reverend al, you needed money for something and she sent you a check. You needed the money. I needed the money real bad, but i framed the check. It was a long time before i deposited it. What i didnt tell was that, she said, boy, havent you heard how you can copy a check and keep it and put it in the bank . But thats how she was. She was real committed to a lot of works, and she stood she was so proud of president obama, and when he had her do the inauguration she had done others, but i think she saw it the coming together of her fathers dream, for her to be standing there with her church hat on i mean she had a hat that became iconic unto itself. Lets get a picture of that. And sang for the first black president. I know, and we talked about it, she was thinking of c. L. Franklin and the marches he did with dr. King. She sent him a check, he needed the money but he framed it. Aretha franklin signed the heck. Im with you. Reverend al, didnt you know you could copy it . Chris, you interviewed Aretha Franklin a number of times. You were at her 70th birthday a few years ago. What stuck out to you the most when you think of her, her personality . What would you want us to know about the woman she was . Well, she was someone who contributed so much to American Music over the years. I mean you mentioned before, it just happens to be august 16th, the day that Elvis Presley who some people thought of as the king of rock had died. Well, a lot of people question whether elvis was really the king of rom. No one questions that Aretha Franklin is the queen of soul. She kept that crown from the moment it was given to her all the way to today, and i think that will be her legacy, that every decade of her pop career she had a hit, every decade of her pop career she had a significant album that got people talking, and all the way up to the current decade. Thats really an amazing run of a career. What do you think her influence is when it comes to civil rights . The reverend al was talking about her support of it but, you know, shes sort of an icon in a lot of ways. Some of her songs are feminist anthems, they are civil rights anthems. What is songs are feminist anthems. Respect right now should be a global anthem. She changed the pay treepatr monologue that was happening in music, men talking about women. Instead she changed to to a dialogue where she is demanding respect. Shes talking about the selfworth of women, projecting an independent spirit not only in the texts of her songs, her lyrics, but with her i understand pepti her independ lifestyle. It shaped the relationship between men and women in general and is part of what shes done as an artist. Reverend al, what would you want people to know about her . She havent had the pleasure of meeting her. I want people to know she was always the same, authentic, down to earth person. She loved to cook. She loved to talk about regular things. And she never lost her authenticity. And shes a lesson to all of the artists that no matter how big you get, it doesnt matter yhow tall you stand, it matters that your feet never leave the ground. Her second husband said she didnt just cook, she burned. Reverend, great to see you. Thank you so much. Chris farley, thank you as well. Tributes continue to powur in fr the queen of soul. The marquee at the Apollo Theater says rest in peace, Aretha Franklin, 19422018. Introducing e trade personalized investments professionally managed portfolios customized to help meet your financial goals. Youll know what youre invested in and how its performing. So you can spend more Time Floating about on your inflatable swan. [ding] gives skin the moisture it needs and keeps it there longer with lockin Moisture Technology skin is petal smooth after all, a cleansers just a cleanser unless its olay. Im still giving it my best even though i live with a higher risk of stroke due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem. So if theres a better treatment than warfarin, im up for that. Eliquis. Eliquis is proven to reduce stroke risk better than warfarin. Plus has significantly less major bleeding than warfarin. Eliquis is fdaapproved and has both. So whats next . Seeing these guys. 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What you want, baby i got it what you need, you know i got it all im asking for just a little bit nothing but respect and honor for the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, passed away this morning at the age of 76. Lets bring back in michael eric dyson, for some final thoughts. Michael, all hour weve been talking about what an extraordinary artist she is. Aretha franklin received an Honorary Degree from harvard in 2014, honorary doctorate from princeton, yale, brown, Berkeley College of music, and the university of michigan. Even more than the artist and musician we know, this woman was a complicated, curious creature. Absolutely right. Highly intelligent, deeply curious, profoundly wondrous about the world around her and relentlessly interrogating it, asking questions, leading to conclusions that people night not necessarily think. She was an independent thinker. She had a commitment to progressive politics in this country and nothing that could be done could dissuade her from that. As the reverend al harp tsharpt said, she expressed her viewpoints through her music and committed herself through giving funds to those organizations that she found important. Can i read you very briefly, eric holder just sent me, i am so sad to learn of the passing of an american icon, she commanded respect. Aretha franklin leaves behind music that is forever attached to memories we all hold so dear. Her artistry served as the soundtrack to so much that is important in this country of our lives. We should all count ourselves as lucky that we live at a time when god deigned to share one of his true gifts with us. Rest in peace my queen. He mentions that he knew her as well, she loved him and he certainly loved her. Everybody understood that she was a diva, that she was a queen, that she was a regnant, loyal, incredible personality and a down to earth woman. I shared with reverend al sharpton that there were many things that i shared jokes with her. She had a gallows sent of humor sw. Gallows sense of humor. Its not how tall you get, its whether you keep your feet on the ground. Everybody weve talked to today tells those stories, that she was curious, kind, and funny. I like the fact that in 1985 the state of michigan declared Aretha Franklin a natural resource. Michael eric dyson, thanks a mill to you, to eric diggins, to chris farley, to reverend al, all who have joined us in this last hour. Not only could she cook she could burn. And thats a compliment, to be clear. People have said that about me and it has not been a compliment. Im thankful to Aretha Franklin for her life and for running the soundtrack to our lives. Were also grateful for the privilege weve had, when is the last time you and i have been able to say we have breaking news and weve smiled and laughed through the whole hour. Thank you for that, Aretha Franklin. Youve given us all a very needed respite from the crazy world that were in right now. Beautiful music. A beautiful life. Respect is what she called for and respect is certainly what we have for her. See you at 3 00 and at 8 00 later today. Now its time to hand it over to Andrea Mitchell for Andrea Mitchell reports. Right now on Andrea Mitchell reports, enemies list. President trump revokes former cia chief John Brennans security clearance and threatens other former intelligence officials who have criticized his policies, saying they could be next. Ive seen this type of behavior and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many, many years during my cia and National Security career. I never ever thought that i would see it in the united states. Mixed messages . The president says he pulled the