Linda Solomon, the author of “The Queen Next Door: Aretha Franklin, An Intimate Portrait,” has spoken out in defense of her book after the late singer’s son, Kecalf Franklin, blasted it and the forthcoming biopic, “Respect.”
“When we launched the book, it was launched at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the family participated in the national launch,” Solomon told Page Six over the phone on Thursday, noting that Aretha’s niece, Sabrina Owens, who is also the executor of Franklin’s estate, penned the afterward. “The book is a beautiful tribute to Aretha.”
Solomon, Aretha’s longtime friend and photojournalist, released “The Queen Next Door” in October 2019. The book features a series of intimate, behind-the-scenes photos of Aretha from major public events to intimate holidays with her family.
“I was invited to document all those special times in her career in the ’80s when she came back to Detroit,” Solomon shared, adding that Aretha “never” felt the need to give photo approval, even when she wasn’t wearing makeup. “She loved it because she’s the natural woman.”
But when Kecalf came forward and lambasted both her book and the Jennifer Hudson led film, Solomon maintained that tributes like these are essential to maintaining Aretha’s memory.
“I feel we can’t hurt these projects because if we turn off the people like me, like the people who want to preserve her legacy, then people will forget her,” she said. “Without these tributes like my book and films like the biopic, Aretha will fade away, so we have to continue to honor her and respect her…
“This will preserve her legacy and will teach her legacy to the younger generations so they can know Aretha Franklin and respect her.”
Solomon also directly addressed the late singer’s son’s issues with the projects, telling us, “Kecalf should understand we have to share his mother’s legacy.”
Over the weekend, Kecalf claimed on Facebook that no one from the book or MGM, the production company behind “Respect,” approached him or his family about the projects.
“How can you make a movie about a person and not talk to the persons sons or grandchildren about important information?” he wrote, adding of Solomon’s book, “How can you put a persons family (image) in a book and not ask permission?” Kecalf continued. “If you are a ‘real’ fan of my mothers….please do not support this. Ask yourself….would you want this done to you?”
David Bennett, the “Think” songstress’ longtime attorney and lead counsel for her estate, told the Detroit Free Press of Kecalf’s Facebook post, “He does not speak for the family. I know he doesn’t speak for his brother Ted White or his brother Clarence Franklin. The grandchildren have absolutely nothing to do with this. What he’s really doing is talking for himself.”
Solomon said she agreed with Bennett, telling us, “I would have to standby the words by Mr. Bennett.”