aretha franklin’s children
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aretha franklin’s children
The fourth of five children, Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Baptist preacher Reverend Clarence La Vaughan “C. L.” Franklin and Barbara Siggers Franklin, a gospel singer.
Franklin’s parents separated by the time she was six, and four years later her mother succumbed to a heart attack. Guided by C. L.’s preaching assignments, the family relocated to Detroit, Michigan. C. L. eventually landed at New Bethel Baptist Church, where he gained national renown as a preacher.
How many children did Aretha Franklin have and where are they now?
In 1957, aged 14, Aretha had a second child named Edward after his father Edward Jordan. While Aretha was pursuing her career, her grandmother Rachel and sister Erma took turns raising the children.
Her third child, Ted White, Jr, was born in 1964 and is known professionally as Teddy Richards.
Her youngest son, Kecalf Cunningham, was born in 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham.
Clarence Franklin
Aretha first became pregnant at the age of 12, and gave birth to her first child, named Clarence after her father, American Baptist minister CL Franklin, in 1955.
According to biographer David Ritz, the father of her oldest son Clarence was believed to be Donald Burke, a boy from school.
However, it was later reported in one of her handwritten wills, discovered in 2019, that Clarence’s father was actually Edward Jordan – whom she went on to have son Edward with in 1957.
Not much is known about Clarence’s life, but he is said to have had the least musical interest of her four sons. However, he is believed to have written a number of songs, including some recorded by his mother.
It was revealed in her handwritten wills that she had made “special provisions” for Clarence, now in his 60s, who has undisclosed special needs.
Edward Franklin
Edward Franklin was born two years after Clarence when Aretha was 14. His father is a man named Edward Jordan, but that’s all the information made public about him.
Edward Jr. became interested in music at a young age. He had the privilege of performing with his mother on several occasions and even sang at his grandfather’s funeral in 2015. Edward also sang at his mother’s funeral in 2018.
Even though he never pursued a solo career, Aretha had him record a song with her for a Christmas album, “This Christmas, Aretha.”
He also sang some background vocals for Aretha’s 2011 release “A Woman Falling Out Of Love,” in her cover of the gospel song “His Eyes Is On the Sparrow.” When Aretha passed, Edward sang Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” as a musical tribute to her.
The man allegedly had some run-ins with the law. He was also involved in an investigation surrounding arson at his mother’s house in Detroit, but he was never charged.
In 2010, he was beaten by three unknown men at a gas station and had to undergo surgery to fix his injuries.
Ted White
Kecalf Cunningham
Aretha’s youngest son, Kecalf, was born in 1970 and is the child of her road manager Ken Cunningham.
Now in his 50s, Kecalf is a Christian rapper. He also performed with his mother, with their most famous performance coming at a 2008 concert at the Radio City Music Hall.
His name is an acronym of both his father and mother’s full names.
In March 2021, it was reported that Teddy and Clarence had filed a fourth will that they claim will split their late mother’s $80 million estate among all four children.
After three conflicting handwritten wills were found in Aretha’s Detroit home, a fourth one has now been filed.
Do any of Aretha’s kids work in the music industry today?
In 2019 during the dispute over her wills, The New York Times reported Aretha’s son Teddy played the guitar at her live shows for 25 years, Eddie sang gospel music, and Kecalf is an aspiring Christian rapper. Clarence also reportedly had a musical career, although the article did not say what genre.
Aretha’s life and legacy are extraordinary, and it’s no wonder why people are invested in learning about her personal life alongside her musical prowess. The Respect biopic starring Jennifer Hudson is the most recent example of the way the world will continue to celebrate her for years to come.
Family & Personal Life
Aretha Franklin became a mother quite early in life. She gave birth to her first son when she was not even 13. She named him Clarence after her father. Though she never revealed the identity of his father, according to news site Inquisitr, “The father of the child was Donald Burk, a boy she knew from school”. However, in one of her handwritten wills, Franklin had revealed that the father of her first child was Edward Jordan.
Her second son, Edward, was born two years later in 1957 and she named him after his father Edward Jordan. Clarence and Edward were raised by her grandmother and sister, while she pursued her music career.
In 1961, she married Ted White despite objections from her father. Ted was much older to her and the marriage did not work out. Franklin was subjected to domestic violence throughout their marriage and they divorced in 1969.
In 1964, Franklin gave birth to her third son, Ted White, Jr., who is now famously known as Teddy Richards and is a famous musician.
In 1968, her fourth son, Kecalf, was born. His father is Ken Cunningham, Aretha Franklin’s former manager.
In 1978, she married actor Glynn Turman and took care of his three children from his former marriage. The couple divorced in 1984. Franklin later announced her plans to marry Willie Wilkerson, but called it off immediately.
She died of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor on August 16, 2018.
Aretha’s children have followed in their mother’s career footsteps.
A love of music clearly ran in the Franklin family. Per a 2019 piece from The New York Times, her son Teddy played guitar at Aretha’s live shows for 25 years, while Edward sang gospel music, and her eldest, Clarence, reportedly has made music as well.
Franklin’s other son, Kecalf, aspired to be a Christian rapper. There’s not much record of his music, but a 2008 New York Times review indicates that he once performed with Aretha at Radio City Music Hall.
Teddy Richards is likely the most prolific and successful musician in the family. He’s an accomplished guitarist who has performed with Nellie Furtado, Joe Cocker, and Al Green, and has released several solo albums, including 2006’s Gravity. He is currently based in southwest Florida, and at work on a new record, titled Solitaire.
“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,” Richards wrote in his bio.
According to Luther Vandross in Respect, Franklin insisted that they record Clarence’s music and have Teddy play guitar during a 1982 session for Get it Right.
When Aretha passed, Edward sang Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” as a musical tribute to her.
Music written or performed by Clarence Franklin is difficult to find record of today.
