Watch Shania Twain Join Aretha Franklin and More Powerhouses for ‘A Natural Woman’
In 1998, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin and country superstar Shania Twain came together for the first-ever VH1 Divas Live concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The night featured numerous special performances -- including an all-star rendition of Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."
"Nobody can kill Aretha’s spotlight," Twain recalled of the performance in 2017. While each of the performers sang a line or two of the song solo, they often ceded the stage to Franklin, harmonizing with her as she took the lead.
Readers can press play above to watch the VH1 Divas Live "A Natural Woman" performance, which also features singer-songwriter Carole King, who co-wrote the song with Gerry Goffin, at the request of producer Jerry Wexler. The song appears on Franklin's 1968 album Lady Soul and is one of her most well-known: It became a Top 10 hit on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 (No. 8), and a No. 2 hit on the R&B charts.
Franklin, known as the "Queen of Soul," died on Thursday (Aug. 16) at her home in Detroit, Mich., according to her publicist. She was 76 and was reported to be "gravely ill" earlier in the week.
"An unbelievable woman and voice," Twain says of Franklin on Twitter. "It was an honor to meet and perform with the Queen of Soul."
The first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Franklin charted more than 100 singles on Billboard's charts and won 18 Grammy Awards. Her iconic songs include "Respect," "Think" and many more.
Aretha Franklin: Through the Years