Aretha Franklin may be working on music for an upcoming album, but that hasn’t stopped the music icon from exercising her love of state fair food.The Associated Press reports that Franklin’s 2014 tour will include performances at the Wisconsin and Minnesota state fairs in August. On Thursday, she performed at the Ohio State Fair.
“I love the state fair, and I love the elephant ears,” the Queen of Soul shared with the AP.
News of the state fair performances come days after Franklin complained that a Johnny Rockets server in Niagara Falls, Ontario, screamed at her for trying to sit down to eat her takeout order. The franchise owner ultimately apologized for the ordeal while referencing the employee’s youth and inexperience.
Franklin’s health has also generated headlines in light of the 72-year-old R&B diva cancelling performances. At this time, Franklin admits to feeling as good as she did in her 50’s.
So much so that she has plans to take a vacation in New York following her Wisconsin tour stop. Among her goals during her time off: a stop at the U.S. Open, taking French lessons and studying classical piano with a Julliard graduate.
“I always wanted to go to Juilliard, but my schedule was so heavy at that time that it just never allowed me the time to go there for long enough to learn something,” said Franklin, who added that she already started to hear shades of the classical training in her famous style and inflections.
To hear her tell it, Franklin has her sights set on being as good as legendary artists like classical pianist Vladimir Horowitz or jazz greats Art Tatum or Oscar Peterson.
“That is the level I want to be playing at,” she says. “That’s the lifetime level.”
As for that new album, the forthcoming release doesn’t have a name yet. However, the AP notes that Franklin is actively working on the project with, saying she’s six tracks and five vocals into it with expectations of finishing the final three cuts in August.
Franklin’s version of R&B classics such as “Midnight Train to Georgia,” ”What’s Love Got To Do With It,” Donna Summer‘s “Last Dance” and Alicia Keys‘ “Fallin’” will be featured on the album
Read more at https://www.eurweb.com/2014/08/aretha-franklin-tours-state-fairs-while-working-on-new-music/#1AGGlLOROwcbvzqr.99
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