Ariana Grande and The Roots performed “Natural Woman” in a tribute to Aretha Franklin on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Aug. 16.
Grande will be among the artists performing at Franklin’s funeral on Friday, Aug. 31 at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” was co-written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin with producer Jerry Wexler.
“In a 2016 New Yorker profile of Franklin, King shared the origin story of “A Natural Woman,” a scene the reporter relayed with admiration: “It was 1967, and (King) and Goffin were in Manhattan, walking along Broadway, and Jerry Wexler, of Atlantic Records, pulled up beside them in a limousine, rolled down the window, and said, “I’m looking for a really big hit for Aretha. How about writing a song called ‘A Natural Woman.’” He rolled up the window and the car drove off. King and Goffin went home to Jersey. That night, after tucking their kids into bed, they sat down and wrote the music and the lyrics. By the next morning, they had a hit.”
(“The Perfect Aretha Franklin Song,” Hannah Giorgis, theatlantic.com).
Franklin recorded the track at American Sound Studio in Memphis with Wexler producing and a band that included: Spooner Oldham – piano, Tommy Cogbill – bass, Gene Chrisman – drums, The Sweet Inspirations (sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin on background vocals) and strings arranged by Ralph Burns.
Franklin released “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” as a seven-inch single in Sept. 1967 on Atantic Records.
