Aretha Franklin passed away in August 2018. She was an extraordinary singer, songwriter and a civil rights activist, she was known as "The Queen of Soul" (Wikipedia). Some of her hits include "Respect", which became one of the hymns of the Civic Rights Movement, "(You make me feel like) A Natural Woman", which made so many people emotional, including President Obama in 2015, "I Say a Little Prayer" a declaration of eternal love, "Think", a black woman's liberation song, or her impromptu performace of "Nessum dorma" at the Amy Awards ceremony, which is reported here on ABC News.
***
She gave rare interviews, but in 1999 she talked to Terry Gross for Fresh Air on NPR, about her upbringing and her background in gospel, and her gradual exposure to jazz and pop music. She also talked about her professional career in Columbia and Atlantic records, the recording of some of her major hits, like "Respect", her relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King, and her work with opera arias. On the webpage you can find a written summary of the interview, but you can also listen to the full interview (47:55), and read the transcipt for support.