The honorees are not informed who will be playing ahead of time. Aretha didn't play the piano for just anyone.

@DavidPChristian2

Ай бұрын

That is cool to know.

I'm a 66 year old man. I probably watch this video once a month. I cry like a baby every time

Aretha was very ill, Mr B O Bama knew this , this made this so much more emotional ❤❤

One national treasure singing to another national treasure. Talents like these two women are rare these days in music.

Personal opinion, Aretha Franklin is hands down the greatest singer to come out of the US, PERIOD, end of story. If you listen to her and aren't moved there is something wrong with you.

I will never forget the day that Aretha passed. I had just landed in L.A. and was driving a rental car. The car radio was set on a Christian music station, and the DJ said “Today the Queen of Soul met the King of Kings. Amen!!

@kdogusna77

29 күн бұрын

I was in Philadelphia for business. You can't imagine just driving around the city listening to the radio.

@christhomas5761

25 күн бұрын

@@kdogusna77 , I was in Memphis and her music was being played everywhere , even coming through the speakers outside at the service stations and stores, cars, people were crying , tributes everywhere , huge billboard `in remembrance `portraits of her on street and highway poles, etc... I`ll never forget it and will never forget Aretha .

This is one of the most iconic performances by anyone in music, let alone the absolute legendary Aretha Franklin! Being one her last live performances before we lost her, if there was EVER any doubt, and even during her ailments and illnesses, she came out and reminded EVERYONE why she is the Iconic Queen Of Soul! A mic drop moment! I love watching this over and over again! 🔥🔥🔥🎤🎤🎹🎹💐💐💐👸🏽 Rest On In Eternal Heaven Lady Aretha Franklin, you will never be forgotten! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

Carol has white hair now. She has a Kennedy Center Award but no one sang Carol’s song “Natural Woman” like Aretha who of course has been given multiple awards and surely a Kennedy Center Award. Aretha is truly missed in our lives. ❤❤Tearing up as we witness history!

From Wiki: During the bridge of the song, Franklin dropped her fur coat to the stage, for which the audience rewarded her with a mid-performance standing ovation. Dropping the coat was symbolic according to "Rolling Stone": it "echoed back to those times when gospel queens would toss their furs on top of the coffins of other gospel queens - a gesture that honored the dead but castigated death itself".

Britt, when I watched your previous reactions to Carole King, and how much you appreciated her, I along with many others recommended this performance, knowing how it would affect you. And your reaction did not disappoint. I kept looking for it, and finally I am happy to see that you were as moved by it as I knew you would be. Aretha's performance was magical and Carole's reaction, like yours, was priceless.

These two women are both national treasures!

Carol King was a great singer-song writer. I loved this moment for her because can you imagine having this be one of the songs you wrote and this was the artist that brought it to life? Blessings upon blessings. And Ms. Franklin’s, performance here was everything. From the purse to the mink to the voice. Impeccable.

Great reaction! When the Lady drops the fur, you know its about to get real.

An amazing moment for sure! And Ms Franklin stepping out there in her mega-mink and her handbag is everything. About carrying her purse onstage, she said her dressing room didn't have a lock and she wasn't gonna leave her purse with anyone. "Where I go, is where my purse goes."

@KristineMaitland

Ай бұрын

Do you know why she carried her purse? To ensure she got paid. If you did not give her money up front, she would not walk on the stage.

Consider the fact that she had been fighting terminal cancer, a heavy smoker for most of her life, and fluctuating weight, and at 73 years old here.. she’s a masterclass. Proud I had laid witness to her 15+ years ago.

I consider a Aretha, a neighbor of mine. Because she lived down the road from me, not even a mile. Detroit’s own. Rip sweet woman, you are missed❤

You know Carol is a legend in her own right. A singer songwriter of extraordinary talent. Her humility here is incredible because when you write a song of this magnitude Yet then you give it to one of the greatest singers of all time and know she can take it to a place maybe you couldn’t and understand why. I guess one great talent understands another great talent. Thank you for your music Carol that’s been with me for 69 years and Aretha The Queen of Soul RIP ❤️

Even being very ill here didn`t stop Ms Franklin from giving one of the greatest live performances in music history....She sounded amazing and gave such a heart felt tribute in song to Carol King who wrote it .... Priceless !

Kennedy Center Honors is a delight to watch every year. This one especially.

@melissaechols7521

21 күн бұрын

There are some great performances on the KCH!

Stephen Colbert was hosting that show and after Aretha's passing he said at the time he was thinking "too bad, we don't get to hear Aretha at her peak" and then she did THAT!

I love Aretha. ❤❤❤Our girl. Greetings from Detroit.

Nobody sings like Aretha! It was beautiful to watch her giving that gratitude back to Carole, and Carole just eating it up. A great singer can have so much talent, but without a great song to sing, they don't make their mark. This was beautiful! Thank you for sharing. It made me emotional too.

I saw Aretha Franklin in concert when I was 15. It was at Carnegie Hall. I was sitting with my friends in the front of the balcony. We noticed from up there that no one was sitting in the very front row, as it was half under the stage. During intermission we sneaked down into those seats - - right in the center; our legs under the stage, with just our heads sticking out. Some of the Four Tops were sitting right behind us.

Tears here, too. Kudos to Carole for her achievements in songwriting and singing and RIP to the absolute Queen of Soul, Ms. Aretha.

Don't forget Gerry Goffin. He wrote the lyrics and Carole King wrote the music for the song.

You're so right Britt! Tears are flowing, cause this is such a special priceless moment!! If you don't feel this, check your pulse!!! 😭😭😭😭❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@brittreacts

Ай бұрын

CHECK YOUR PULSE!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️

The Queen of Soul! RIP. She lived her life!

Carole King co wrote a number one song at 16 Conducted the NYC Symphony at 18

Carole is a true American treasure. We do not realize how many songs she has written. And Aretha....well she's Aretha.

I think part of carols surprise is that Aretha had not been well for some time so she did not expect her to sing and then of course Aretha does this other worldly performance . A truly great artist. I think she passed within a year of this.

Carole wrote the music, but her husband at the time, Gerry Goffin, wrote the lyrics.

The Kennedy Center does a phenomenal job paying tribute to the honorees. I inevitably tear up nearly every time I watch the annual show.

Britt - I burst into tears every time I see this performance so I feel you.

@kathybwell

Ай бұрын

me too

Aretha Franklin was a national treasure. Look at how many awards she won. This performance is absolutely transcendant. I cried the first time I saw this. I was born in 1964, so Aretha was always a part of my life. Perfect tone, even near her death. There are just not enough words to describe her. Thank goodness for recorded music. We can enjoy her for the reat of time.

Carole King wrote well over 100 songs in her career. I've seen 118 quoted as a figure. "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" was one of the best, and Aretha's version of it was and still is the best. What a team!

Honorees don't know who will honor them at the Kennedy Center Honors

@heatherbegs

Ай бұрын

I love watching this and I never knew this! Thank you!!

That song needed Aretha to sing it.... that's what made the magic... all the pain and emotion in her voice. What a gift she was to the world. Not just the US, but all of us out here on this blue marble...

After a turbulent flight in the 1980s, Aretha became clinically fearful of flying. For her to travel from Detroit to DC (and in declining health) to honor Carole King was a profound act of R*E*S*P*E*C*T.

Pure joy. That's what you felt.

LOVED your reaction to honoring both these incredibly talented women. What a beautiful tribute Aretha the Queen of soul paid to Carole King!

@brittreacts

Ай бұрын

Well said!

I enjoyed this show every December and not just the music. The honorees are not told who performs, and Carole was immensely proud seeing Ms Aretha. And what a performance. Excellent read on Carole. She is very humble and grateful, beautifully human.

Absolutely. One of the best Singer songwriters of all time and definitely the lady singing is one of the best singers of all time.

I love that Miss Aretha came out with her clutch because that was a trademark. She demanded payment up front back in the day in cash, because she was stiffed for being paid early in her career she made sure never again, and that cash went in her purse and that purse went with her on stage on the piano!

That was fun. I was having a crap day... you cheered me up. I've watched this performance a dozen times. I loved your reaction to it.

This song is not only tattooed into my brain It’s tattooed into my ❤️, my late Momma played this song in my childhood of the 60’s and I still Love Love this song. Brings tears to my eyes!

I saw this when it happened -- The coat! The fact that she brought her purse out with her! The SLAYING of the song! I thought Carole King was going to just sprout wings and fly out of that balcony!

The 60's produced Legends!!

Aretha had terminal cancer at this time, although she was in denial about it. I think she died within a year of this performance.

I've watched this video many times and it is one of the best performances ever by any singer IMO. And yes, Carole King has written many hits for many singers. She is a great singer in her own right. Thank you for all of your comments. It made this video that much better.

This makes me very happy that you chose this to react to. Aretha is the Queen of Soul. This tribute to Carole King is absolutely the best. At this age Aretha is still at her best. You can see how excited and honored Carole is to have Aretha there to celebrate her contributions to the music world. Aretha does not disappoint, she belts the song out and brings the house down! Thank you for this. I've been requesting this on several channels and you are the first to listen to it. May I also recommend you react go Luther Vandross singing "A House is Not a Home" at the NAACP Awards in honor of Dionne Warwick. This is one of Dionne's hit songs. Also, if you haven't seen this: Old Movie Stars dance to "Uptown Funk"... being a dancer, you will love this video too. I'm so happy to see how Aretha and Carole moved you. Your channel is very positive and entertaining. You knowledge, emotional reactions and enthusiasm are most enjoyable and a bright spot in my day.

Aretha be like telling her driver... just leave the car running, I gotta do this little thing

Love how you appreciate such an important moment in music history.

I hope you have heard Carol's song tapestry. If not, please do it on the channel. Aretha was everything!

2 Absolutely Amazing talents recognizing and appreciating each other. They were also friends for decades. You can lay any and all the accolades you could imagine on these two ladies. Both incredibly important to music on so many levels.

This hands down is the best diva performance EVER!!! Aretha showed how a real diva delivers an entrance and performance. Pure class!! Sit down Beyonce, and all the rest.

So happy to watch your reaction to these two legends. I kinda fell in love with Carole when I listened to Tapestry (I was around 13, and had pretty good taste! :-) ) and bought all the albums - and music books - after. She was the main reason I asked to get piano lessons, so seeing her honored was a big deal. That the absolute legend, Aretha, the Queen of Soul would treat us to this rendition was the icing on the cake, especially seeing how blown away Carole was! You're right about Carole being a sweetheart, but so are you. Really enjoy your channel!

My roommate and me watched this on tv in two different rooms and when Aretha dropped that coat we both screamed like teenage fangirls! Yes, everything you said plus electricity we felt through the tv. Imagine being there?

That's true,if you're chilled and kind to people,you do stay young and live a longer life

So delighted that you enjoyed this. It's making you emotional because you bring that same energy as Aretha and Carole. You are part of this incredible club. Like recognizes like. Enjoy!!! Thanks for what you do.

One of the best live performances ever. The Kennedy center honors have some excellent tribute’s.

ABSOLUTE chills. I watched this at the time and it gave me chills then and now. And your reaction, Britt, is simply beautiful. ❤

Such a beautiful video, and a wonderful tribute between two women who clearly respect each other SO much!! I've watched your other Carole reactions, Britt, and you keep mentioning how wonderful a person Carole seems to be- I really recommend listening to her song "Beautiful"! For me it is the epitome of who she is as a person- and who we should all strive to be. She had a broadway musical written about her life called "Beautiful", that's how iconic that song is for her. I really think you'll love it! Can't wait to watch more reactions!! 🥰🤩🥳

I remember watching that show when it first aired. Other honorees that night were Seiji Ozawa, Cicely Tyson, Rita Moreno and George Lucas. The best/most surreal moment was the finale of the whole show which included all the guest presenters singing "I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet" including dancing C3-PO, R2-D2 and Storm Troopers from Star Wars.

Hi brit, you have to see and hear Aretha’s performance singing the opera song “Nessun Dorma” when Pavarotti could not perform at the 1998 Grammy Awards. Unbelievable! Such a powerful performance!

Thank you for reacting to this beautiful performance. I have watched it many times. Gerry Goffin, Carole King's songwriting partner and ex-husband wrote the lyrics and Carole wrote the powerful melody. I just love this ❤❤❤

@brittreacts

Ай бұрын

Added!

This is one of my all-time favorite performances of Ms. Franklin, and believe me, there are many. But as you said, to know this was written specifically for Aretha, by Carole King, well, this will put both women in the annals of modern music history.

Great song, great performance.

She sang this so well that now I feel like a natural woman but I’m a 45 year old guy

Jazz Man is my favorite Carole King song.

This brings a tear to my eye every time. It really is a beautiful moment.

Always have loved Carole!

Simply two MONSTER talents paying tribute to each other. Another performance like this would be Chuck Berry performing Johnny Be Good with Bruce Springsteen at the rock n roll hall of fame. You can see that Bruce is in awe of being on stage with a legend.

aretha still got it, i rmeebr vis, carol recieving v acolades she deserves. touchng n special

Aretha --- Queen 🙏🏽😢

Yes, that's Carole King in the silver curly locks. She was one of the honorees that night at the annual Kennedy Center Honors celebration. What you may not know is that Aretha actually made this song famous when she had a huge hit with it back in (I think it was) 1967. (Or '68, maybe.) Carole King wrote it, of course. This is back when Aretha was first establlishing herself as the Queen of Soul. Nobody sings "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" quite like Aretha Franklin.

thanks, Britt.. Carole was amazing.. appreciate your reaction.. this makes me emotional, too!

In 1995 there was an album released- Tapestry Revisited A Tribute To Carole King. It is AWESOME so many great artist singing Carole's songs. Maybe you can find the other tributes and cover them. I really love All-4-One's cover of her song Tapestry!

You should check out the amazing Sara Bareilles ( who was also on the Carole King tribute event). A good - and different - video to respond to, would be Sara's performing her great song "Love Song" on a London railway station public piano.

You were born in the wrong time. I'm so glad I grew up in the 70's! It's so great seeing people from this time show a real appreciation for that era. As much as you've reacted to, you haven't even scratched the surface of what's left for you to see. Watching your face as your watching these videos...it's like watching some for the first time in my life through your eyes. Keep them coming!!

Makes me cry each time this one

You could see the mutual admiration between the two of them Thank you for writing this song and thank you for making this song such a hit.

@brittreacts

Ай бұрын

Yes!

Aretha Franklin is a. Maze. Ing. Somewhere on KZread is a documentary about Muscle Shoals that tells the story of Aretha coming into their (eventually) famous studio to record. Carole King seems like a natural born songwriter. Her ability to write a lyric that connects with the listener is truly special. A couple things about artists from Aretha & Carole's era. First, they put in a TON of reps. It was a lot harder to break through and get a record deal, many of them played local shows or toured, grinding on their craft. The 10,000 hours rule is a real thing. Second, so much of their music went ALL IN on the emotion. There's a rawness to it that's harder to find in today's music.

I am so glad you saw this. The expression on King's face is priceless. ❤ And P.S. - you really should watch the entire tribute to King. Trust. 🤐

@brittreacts

Ай бұрын

I'll check it out!

Such a beautiful moment!

What a performance!!!!There are a few artists gifted with a talent from another world. Aretha was one of them. I love this soul divas! There's a video with Gladys Knight singing the "End Of The Road Medley". Try it, stuff like this makes me as an 64 years old grumpy bastard cry like a baby 🥲

Carol did not know she was going to be there at all!

I feel it. This is one of my favorite performances!

Love your reaction to this very moving moment! Yes, this is humanity at its finest, and music doing what it can do so well, touch us deeply. Thanks, Britt.

@brittreacts

Ай бұрын

Well said!

Yeah, I would have stopped this one 30 seconds in as well because--well, there's just so much musical history and wonderfulness unfolding on & around that stage right from The Queen of Soul's entrance onwards. You captured that sense of occasion beautifully!

You should check out the musical Beautiful. It uses the songs written by Carol King to tell the early life and times of Carol King. Starting as a 15 yr old songwriter in an industry that didn’t have many women. Her pairing with a young man struggling with mental illnesss. And her courage to go solo.

Not to bust any bubbles and without taking anything away from the equally important music Carole wrote for this song, it was her husband Gerry Goffin that wrote the lyrics. He also did “ Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”

If my memory is correct she was very ill when she did this and passed about 1 year later. This was one of her last live performances

She had not been well. The bigger surprise because of that. She died not a long time after. Nothing destroyed that voice……oh no. Go mama

My dear, The TV program (Kennedy Center Honors)that this clip is from, is must see TV every year. Its on CBS every year the week between Christmas and New Years. There are many unforgettable performances. Kristen Chenowith singing "A Spoonful Of Sugar" from Mary Poppins to Julie Andrews, The band Heart singing "Stairway To Heaven" to Led Zeppelin, The Billy Joel Tribute was awesome. Google Kennedy Center Honors for a look sometime. Be well.

5:56 soul

Two Titans!!!!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for not only being a great host but a great person. Your channel has brought so much joy to so many. That performance was a masterclass in true soul singing. Now, if you don't mind. I have another great performance for you . Patty Labelle performing Never Walk Alone live at the Apollo Theater. Talking about going to church, have the towel and Kleenex ready.

Child, I cry every single time I have watched this video. Now I am crying again with you. I love the way you understood Carole King's reaction....and the stripping off the fur, and letting it just fall to the floor....speechless. Love your reactions too

While u listening to great ladies , got to hear Shirley Bassey , Never Never Never . . .

Love this video of yours. Just discovered your channel, but love the emotion and commentary your brought to this