Erma Franklin

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox musical artist Erma Vernice Franklin (March 13, 1938 – September 7, 2002)<ref name="AllMusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was an American gospel and soul singer. She recorded the original version of "Piece of My Heart", written and produced by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns in 1967, for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award.<ref name="Dead">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A cover version of the same song was recorded the following year by Big Brother and the Holding Company, with lead vocals by Janis Joplin. Franklin was the elder sister of singer Aretha Franklin.

Biography

Early life and family

Erma Franklin was born in Shelby, Mississippi, United States,<ref name="Dead"/><ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref> the oldest daughter of Barbara (née Siggers) and the Reverend C. L. Franklin. She was raised in Detroit, Michigan, where her father was pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church. She was raised by both parents until the age of 10, when her parents separated for the final time. Her mother took her eldest sibling, half-brother Vaughn, with her to Buffalo, New York, in 1948. Barbara Siggers-Franklin died on March 7, 1952, in Buffalo.

Franklin studied Business at Clark Atlanta University (then named "Clark College").

Career

During her childhood, Erma and her sisters Aretha and Carolyn sang at New Bethel Baptist Church. When Aretha became a recording artist, Erma provided backing vocals and toured with her. Erma sang backup for her sister Aretha on Aretha's signature tune "Respect".<ref name="Dead"/>

In 1967, Erma Franklin sang the original version of "Piece of My Heart", which was a top 10 soul hit in the U.S. and rose to number 62 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.<ref name="Larkin"/> The track was co-written and produced by Bert Berns.<ref name="Larkin"/> In the UK, Franklin's version was used in a Levi's jeans commercial ("Cinderella" AKA "Night and Day"), leading to a resurgence of interest in the song. The single was re-released in the UK in 1992 and peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 9.<ref name="Larkin"/>

Franklin told an interviewer that when she first heard Janis Joplin's version on the radio, she did not recognize it because of the vocal arrangement.<ref name=Interview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the mid-1970s, Franklin left the music industry, apart from occasional engagements with her sister. She was one of the special guests on Aretha's 1986 Showtime cable television special — filmed at Detroit's Music Hall — and also performed on June 28, 1990, at Nelson Mandela's rally at Tiger Stadium.<ref name=Interview/>

Personal life and death

Franklin married Thomas Garrett and gave birth to their two children: Thomas Jr. and Sabrina. For 25 years, Franklin worked for the Boysville Holy Cross Community Center, a Detroit organization that helps homeless and disadvantaged minority children.<ref name="Larkin"/> Franklin died of cancer in Detroit, on September 7, 2002, aged 64.<ref name="Dead"/> She is interred at Detroit's historic Woodlawn Cemetery.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Peaks	Label
		US <ref name="Awards">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1962	Her Name Is Erma	—	Epic
1969	Soul Sister	199	Brunswick
2015	The Electric Flag Featuring Erma Franklin - Live 1968 (with The Electric Flag)	—	RockBeat
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name

Title	Year	Peak chart positions									Album
		US <ref name="Awards"/><ref name="Billboard Singles Chart History">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US R&B /HH <ref name="Awards"/><ref name="R&B Songs">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	BEL (FL) <ref name=fla>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	DEN <ref> For "Piece of My Heart": Template:Cite magazine</ref>	IRE <ref name=ire>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	NLD <ref name=dutch>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		SWE <ref name=swe>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	UK <ref name="UK">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	UK R&B <ref name="UK R&B"> For "Piece of My Heart": Template:Cite magazine For "Gotta Find Me a Lover (24 Hours a Day)": Template:Cite magazine </ref>
"Hello Again"	1961	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Her Name Is Erma
"What Kind of Girl"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Time After Time"	1962	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Dear Momma"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	rowspan="9" Template:N/A
"I Don't Want No Momma's Boy"	1963	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Abracadabra"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Big Boss Man"	1967	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Piece of My Heart"		62	10	33	5	10	9	25	9	5
"Open Up Your Soul"	1968	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"I'm Just Not Ready For Love"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"The Right to Cry"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"It Could've Been Me"	1969	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Saving My Love For You"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Soul Sister
"Gotta Find Me a Lover (24 Hours a Day)"		—	40	—	—	—	—	—	—	20
"Whispers (Gettin' Louder)"	1970	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Template:N/A
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

• "(Take a Little) Piece of My Heart" did not chart in the UK until 1992, therefore the peak recorded here occurred on 31st October 1992 <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Template:Find a Grave