After a 21-year absence, iconic soul singer Aretha Franklin is returning to Los Angeles for two very special nights. The 16-time Grammy® winner will appear in concert under the stars at the newly renovated Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on September 17th and 18th. She will also be performing at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on September 24th and 25th.

The Queen of Soul’s return to L.A. will include a round of major media appearances, and the soulful diva is enthusiastic about the upcoming West Coast visit. “I always enjoy Los Angeles,” says Franklin. “I’ve been away much too long. The people, the sun, the ocean – it’s a beautiful town and The Greek is the perfect setting.”

The Queen is coming off a stellar 12 months. Last year’s So Damn Happy – her twelfth album with Arista – received a royal reception from fans and critics, and her 2003 concert tour. “The Queen is On,” sold out venues from coast to coast. During appearances at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Freedom Hill Amphitheater in Detroit, and the Fleet Boston Pavilion, Franklin thrilled packed houses. Of her performance, The Washington Post wrote: “Top three reasons why Wolf Trap was the place to be on Thursday: Aretha! Aretha! Aretha!”; and a critic from The Boston Globe mused; “Franklin spanned the years and styles with as much moxie and talent that one has to wonder who – if anyone – is capable of following in her footsteps.”

The success of So Damn Happy and “The Queen in On Tour” is the latest musical triumph for a woman whose first name alone evokes r-e-s-p-e-c-t the world over. Even as a teen, Franklin, daughter of the popular Reverend C.L. Franklin, thrilled audiences along the gospel circuit. She went on to sign with Columbia and then Atlantic Records, adding her own unique stamp to an extraordinary diversity of music. At Atlantic, the girl from Detroit became an international star with a non-stop run of now-classic hits. “Respect,” “Think,” “A Natural Woman,” “Chain Of Fools,” “Until You Come Back To Me” and many other songs became the soundtrack of a generation.

In 1980, Franklin began her association with Arista and went on to beguile a new generation of fans with hits such as: “Freeway Of Love,” “Who’s Zoomin’ Who,” “Jump To It” (produced by musical pal and friend Luther Vandross), and “I Knew You Were Waiting For Me,” (a duet with George Michael). In 1998 she hit again with the gold-selling A Rose Is Still A Rose, collaborating with 90s hit makers Lauryn Hill and producers like P. Diddy, Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, Daryl Simmons and others.

Over the years, Franklin has received countless awards and honors for her contributions to American music, including a Kennedy Center Honor, 16 Grammy® awards, a Grammy® Legend award, a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement award, and five American Music Awards. In 1987, she was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Aretha Franklin will be performing at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles September 17th & 18th as well as at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on September 24th and 25th. Don’t miss these unforgettable evenings with the one and only Queen Of Soul!

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