It's the Queen of Soul who's come out with the first big news of 2012: She's engaged!
Yep, 20 Grammy award holder Aretha Franklin plans to wed William "Willie" Wilkerson, whom she calls her "forever friend," this summer on a private yacht off Miami Beach.
Hmmm, what are the key words here? Private, longtime, accomplished.
No, Aretha Franklin is not new to marriage: She's had two previous marriages, one lasting 8 years in the '60s to Ted White, another to actor Glynn Turman (The Wire) in 1978, which lasted 6 six years, and a 7-year relationship between those two that also produced a child (Franklin has 4 children altogether).
Aretha Franklin also commands respect for her prodigious musical output, her record on civil rights, and giant steps forward for women: She was the second African-American woman to appear on the cover of TIME magazine (1968), and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 (1987!).
Aretha Franklin is recorded as saying ''I love marriage … I love the institution." But that doesn't mean her decision to marry Willie Wilkerson is frivolous. People magazine lays out their longtime friendship, support and understanding of each other. Looks like he respects her too.
Plus, there are numerous studies pointing to older marriages as better marriages.
In Love for Grown-Ups, the authors cite that
finding love later in life has an anti-aging benefit."
Could that be Aretha's reason? In 2010 she had a serious health scare which led to surgery. She also had an 85-pound weight loss, which led to her feeling more vibrant, energetic and better about herself that she had in a long time, she noted.
I asked Christa Terry, author of iDo: Planning Your Wedding with Nothing But 'Net what she thought Aretha Franklin should do, and she had some very definite ideas:
Celebrity weddings planned by celebrity planners are a dime a dozen these days. Aretha deserves better. After all, you don't decide to tie the knot at 69 years old if you don't know what you want. So, cookie cutter wedding? Not for the iconic Aretha.
Planning online may seem like the last refuge of the budget busted, but the fact is, it's also the go-to retreat for any bride who knows what she wants when what she wants is playing hard to get. Am I suggesting there'd be anything in the world the Queen of Soul couldn't lay her hands on? Hardly. But if Aretha wants to avoid the done-to-death princess aesthetic that most celebrity planners are still pushing, much to my dismay, she could do worse than firing up her laptop and giving DIY wedding-planning a try."
Good advice! Aretha Franklin is obviously one of the SWANS (Strong Women Achievers, No Spouse, according to Dr. Christine Whelan, author of Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women), and she and Wilkerson have known each other long enough that this is clearly a considered decision.
Bobbi Hicks, a Florida wedding planner (and hey, just across the state, Aretha!) was thrilled for the Queen of Soul: "How fabulous...she is one of my all time favorites. Her RESPECT is my best karaoke song.
… if she were my bride, I would tell her to get a caterer who will do exactly what she LOVES regarding the food. Some caterers try to be crazy or fancy when it comes to celebs, but she should just have the food that she and her new husband love.
Then, I would probably suggest a Florida theme when it comes to decor, flowers, and gifts.... shells scattered around the centerpieces, large conk shells for "vases" instead of glass, sand dollars as place cards with the person's name written on them. Of course, this would be only if she didn't have her own thoughts on it.
I think I would suggest a CD of hers to be given to each guest, with a personal love note from her thanking them for sharing her special day."
Wouldn't that be a thrill – to have a personal CD from Aretha! I heard her sing on a bright fall day in Toronto years ago and even though I was pretty far back, she electrified the sun's rays — those notes still crackle in my memory like sequins suspended in the glistening afternoon light.
Number 9, Number 9
Aretha Franklin ranked No. 9 on Rolling Stone's list: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
She's marked many a milestone in her long and illustrious career — I loved the hat she rocked at the Obama inauguration – so even if this marriage only lasts 72 days (which I bet you a dime to a doughnut will not be the case), she's earned that too. But not only does she love the institution, she respects it too.
Let's listen to her command it (Kim and Kardashians, take note). You go, girl!
Other icons that prove you only get better with age:
Billie Jean King on Breaking the Mold
Nigella Lawson on Voluptuousness
Diana Nyad Dares Her Dream
Jane Fonda is a Virgin
Celebrity Sweetheart Couples that Survive
How to Find True Love After 40