Teddy Richards, Aretha Franklin’s Son: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Teddy Richards, Jr., is Aretha Franklin’s third son. His father is Ted White, Franklin’s first husband, who also served as her musical manager.

Franklin passed away of pancreatic cancer on August 16, surrounded by her loved ones, though it’s unclear whether Teddy, specifically, was there.

Here’s what you need to know.

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1. Richards Was Born in 1964 & Attended Michigan State University

Richards was born in 1964, as the third and last son through her marriage with White. After that, Franklin’s marriage with White ended amid reports of domestic abuse.

Richards later attended Michigan State University, though most of his childhood as remained private to the public.

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2. Teddy Has Released Three Albums Under the Stage Name Teddy Richards

Richards has a musical career of his own, having released three full albums to his name thus far. Richards has said of his love for music, via MusicPage, “I’ve evolved from a self-taught guitarist into a producer, engineer and accomplished tunesmith; I truly love music and enjoy the journey that it’s taken me on.”

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3. Teddy Has Played Backup Guitar During Several of His Mother’s Concerts

Teddy has reportedly played backup guitar for several of his mother’s concerts. Richards can play the guitar, and he describes himself as a singer, songwriter, and front man.

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4. Teddy Has Been an Opening Act For Seal, The Verve Pipe, Fishbone and Chic

According to his MusicPage site, Richards has been an opening act for several big bands, including Seal, The Verve Pipe, and Fishbone. He’s also toured with INXS, and working on songwriting for other performers with Oliver Leiber and Gary Clark, who have created big hits for performers like Paula Abdul.

Richards now can be heard creating and orchestrating music for CBS Sports, among other things.

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5. Teddy Has Not Yet Made a Public Response About His Mother’s Passing

Richards has not yet commented publicly on his mother’s passing.