MUSICAL SCENE: Aretha Franklin’s Buffalo roots should be celebrated | Lifestyles

On October 22, 2015, I arrived at what was then called First Niagara Center to pick up my tickets and photo pass for the Paul McCartney concert. I have already been pleasantly surprised to receive press letters; after all, Sir Paul no longer needed publicity. The real shock came when I got to my seat, just a few rows from the stage and one row in front of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

I had already met the mayor a few times in passing, but this was a rare opportunity to discuss with him something that bothered me. Why is there no historical marker in the Buffalo house where Aretha Franklin once lived?

In 2011, I attended an Aretha Franklin press conference at the Seneca Niagara Casino, which was the highlight of my journalism career at the time. Two years later, I had the opportunity to interview him over the phone and I was afraid I would turn into Chris Farley interviewing Sir Paul in the famous SNL sketch.

I’ve always prided myself on researching my subjects to prepare for interviews, but in this case, I knew I had to prepare with something extraordinary for my interview with The Queen of Soul, so I did some research on the Internet, went to the local library and discovered that she had a deep connection to Buffalo.

There are conflicting reports regarding his time in Buffalo. In her autobiography, Franklin wrote that she moved from Buffalo to Detroit when she was two years old, which would place the year in 1944. However, other sources, including the Friendship history page and a biography of Aretha’s father, the Rev. CL Franklin, note that he left in the spring of 1946, which would mean Aretha was four years old when she moved to Detroit.

When I spoke to Aretha in 2013, she remembered the street she lived on, Glenwood Avenue, but couldn’t remember the house number, so I gave it to her and she was delighted. She told me she remembered the house and wanted to stop by next time she was in the area. The house at 179 Glenwood Ave. still exists today, but there is no evidence that Aretha Franklin once lived there.

This past weekend I met with a pastor from a Buffalo area congregation and shared my dream that a historical marker would one day be there. I also shared the story with a local record store owner, and he wasn’t even aware of Franklin’s connection to Buffalo.

As with any endeavor, there are potential hurdles, including some programs that will only mark events over 100 years. If that is the case, the house should be protected because of its historical significance, but there must surely be a way to mark the site so Buffalo can honor one of the most famous singers in our nation’s history.

It’s been almost 10 years since I spoke to Mayor Brown, but I hope someone reading this helps get this dream project off the ground.

Thom Jennings writes about the regional music scene for the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal and the Niagara Gazette.