Aretha Suing Over Unauthorized Biography
[su_center_ad]The new, unauthorized biography is by her former ghostwriter, David Ritz.
Ritz, who penned Aretha’s 1999 memoir “From These Roots,” now claims that material was cut by the fiercely private singer from that first tome, including that the gospel circuit, which Aretha and her own father toured on, was known as the “Sex Circus,” with “men-and-men and women-and-women hookups.” Singer Etta James is quoted, “I can understand Aretha not wanting to talk about that . . . Who wants to admit that you’re praising the Lord at the 8 p.m. service and servicing some drop-dead gorgeous hunk of a singer an hour later? Aretha and I started out before we were teenagers . . . we wanted to experience it all. I wouldn’t use the expression sexually active, I’d say sexually overactive.”
But the book, narrated through interviews with friends, family and associates, also paints an inspirational picture of a prodigy who lost her mother at 10, had two kids in her teens, and overcame an abusive marriage thanks to her considerable talent and spirit.
While her rep didn’t comment, Franklin — named the No. 1 greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone — told the Detroit News this week: “There’s a very trashy, trashy book on the street . . . It’s lies, lies, lies and then more lies.” Franklin adds, “I’m talking to a criminal attorney. If this isn’t defamation, I don’t know what would be.”[su_csky_ad]
Larry Schmitt November 12th, 2014 at 12:33 pm
I’m no attorney (nor do I play one on TV), but if she sues on the grounds that it’s full of lies, won’t she have to prove that the stories aren’t true? Seems that would be pretty hard to do, and maybe it’s a place she doesn’t want to go.