Getty Aretha Franklin performs onstage during the "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives" Premiere Concert.
The life of legendary singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin will be honored tonight with the musical tribute special “Aretha! A GRAMMYS Celebration for the Queen of Soul.” Franklin passed away on August 16, 2018 at the age of 76, after losing an 8-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Franklin is survived by her four sons, Clarence, Edward, Teddy, and Kecalf. She was also married twice during her Grammy-winning music career. Here’s what you need to know about Aretha Franklin’s ex-husbands and kids:
1. Her First Husband Was Ted White, Whom She Married in 1961
Franklin was married to Ted White from 1961-1969, and she was only 19 years old when they got married. According to In Style, the marriage ended following reports of domestic abuse. While they were together, White served as Franklin’s manager, a role that Franklin’s brother Cecile took on once the couple divorced.
According to Detroit Free Press, White sought music royalties from her estate, for which she left no will when she died.
2. Her Second Husband, Glynn Turman, Got to Say Goodbye Before She Passed
GettyFlowers and mementos are left at a growing memorial at Aretha Franklin’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Franklin married her second husband, Glynn Turman, in 1978, but ultimately divorced in 1984. They had no children together. In the wake of her passing, however, he remarked to People that “People think of her often as an iconic singer, an iconic performer, but they don’t necessarily remember that she was a mother and a wife and someone’s lover. There was that part that I’m glad I got to know about.”
Turman also told People that he was able to visit with her and get closure before she passed. Though she was unable to communicate he said he could tell that she was going to fight until the end and knew he was there, revealing “And we were able to feed off of that recognition, feed off of the moment of both sort of realizing that time was extremely precious at this time. So it was a moment full of closure.”
3. She Had Her Son Clarence When She Was Only 14 Years Old
GettyClarence Franklin (R), Aretha Franklin’s son, hugs an attendee after his mother’s funeral.
According to People, Aretha had her first son Clarence when she was 14; his father was Donald Burke, one of Franklin’s schoolmates. She had her second son, Edward, in 1957 before dropping out of high school to pursue her music career full-time.
So that she could chase her music dreams, much of the caretaking of Clarence and Edward was done by Franklin’s grandmother. In 1995, Franklin told Ebony “I still wanted to get out and hang out with my friends. I wanted to be in two places at the same time. But my grandmother helped me a lot, and my sister and my cousin. They would babysit so I could get out occasionally.”
4. Her Son Teddy Played Guitar in Her Concert Band
I’ve got it made in the shade..with my Summer Serenade!
Visit t.co/owXcWbbL0h!
According to Teddy’s website bio, he was his mother’s concert guitarist for 28 years, from 1984 until 2012. He has performed as the opening act for Seal, Lenny Kravitz, INXS, The Verve Pipe, and A.J. Croce.
He toured and released an album in Germany, and will be releasing his third in the US, entitle “Soliataire,” in 2019. He keeps his Twitter page updated with upcoming performance dates and new music releases.
5. Kecalf’s Father Was Franklin’s Road Manager
The youngest of Aretha’s four sons is Kecalf Cunningham, who was born on March 28, 1970; he is a Christian rapper. His father was Aretha’s road manager, Ken Cunningham, whom she dated from 1968 to 1976. His name is an acronym of both of his parents’ initials: Ken E. Cunningham and Aretha Louise Franklin.
According to People, Kecalf was pulled over for a DUI two months after his mother’s passing. After pleading guilty, they reported that he was sentenced to 93 days in jail.
Comments
Aretha Franklin’s Ex-Husbands & Kids: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know