Aretha criticizes Beyonce's Grammy intro

Soul legend Aretha Franklin dismissed the intro Beyonce gave to Tina Turner on Sunday night's Grammy Awards as a "cheap shot for controversy." Before announcing Turner, Beyonce performed a weird little spoken-word tribute to great R&B and soul singers, and listed Franklin second, only after Sarah Vaughn.

But right before Turner takes over and rescues the routine, Beyonce introduces her as "the Queen," a designation long-belonging to Franklin. The AP story quotes a statement from Franklin:

"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce," Franklin snapped in a statement issued by her publicist. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

Re-visit the clip below. I can think of plenty of reasons to question it, but the AP story raises its own questions. Did someone specifically ask Franklin if she felt slighted by Beyonce's Turner intro, or was this an unprompted statement just released to certain members of the press? (Calls to a Franklin rep were not returned late Tuesday.)

Weird. An odd Grammy moment inspires an odd controversy.

Comments

[James]

Just picture it. If Dinah Washington, "The Queen of the Blues," had been sitting in that audience and felt disrespected, not only would Beyonce AND her father gotten cussed out, but probably slapped too! Miss D. didn't play when it came to her title!

[Realitycheck]

Aretha has an ego bigger than she is. Beyonce never said "The Queen of soul, Tina Turner" she said "The Queen, Tina Turner" Tina Turner has the title Queen of Rock and Roll, and Aretha needs to check that. You think Mahalia Jackson (Queen of Gospel) or Loretta Lynn(Queen of Country) would have objected to Aretha Being call the Queen? the answer is no. They are not arrogant and full of themselves like Aretha. Aretha was irked that nobody was kissing her huge fanny this time, and it was a contemporary of hers that was receiving the accolades for once. Tina Turner is the Queen of Rock and Roll and Gutbuckett R&B, and those are titles that she earned. Tina is majestic, and a symbol of stregth and survival, and not only for african americans but women and people in general. Aretha check yourself. Think about what you did, realise that there are singers that have been around along time too, Think of Gladys, Patti, Chaka, and the amazing TIna Turner, they are your contempories and they deseve Respect.TSK, Pull your head out of you butt and get a tent, I mean a dress with sleeves.

[Realitycheck]

Patsy Burton, smell yourself. You can give Beyonce, Tina, and Aretha a run for their money? PFT, give me a break. if you're soo good why are you not on tv, on the radio and all over the net, don't ever compare yourself to any of these great ladies. Etta, I send my love, and you sit comfortabley among all the R&B blues greats. But your voice neither dwarfs or pales in comparison. A writer once said of Aretha's voice (before she was smoking 2 packs of cigs a day, and damaged it beyond repair) That if God was a female soul singer, she would have a voice, phrasing, and emotional delivery not unlike Aretha Franklin. I aggree, I just felt She has gotten too big, both physically, and in her ego.
A writer once said of Tina Turner, she is like a diamond, she has the rawness, the strength, and most of all she shines, her voice is like a perfect instrument...if you ever need the perfect entertainer, look to Tina Turner, she is a star. She is also said to have the most dynamic voice in all of music, and perfect timing. Give it up to Tina Turner.