Erma Franklin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erma Franklin
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Franklin in 1967
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Erma Vernice Franklin |
| Born | March 13, 1938 Shelby, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 2002 (aged 64) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1955–2002 |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | |
Erma Vernice Franklin (March 13, 1938 – September 7, 2002) was an American singer. She was known for her gospel and soul music. Erma was the older sister of the famous singer Aretha Franklin.
Erma Franklin is best known for her original song "Piece of My Heart". She recorded this song in 1967. It was so popular that it was nominated for a Grammy Award. Another famous singer, Janis Joplin, later sang her own version of the song.
Contents
About Erma Franklin
Her Early Life and Family
Erma Franklin was born in Shelby, Mississippi, in the United States. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara and Reverend C. L. Franklin. She grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Her father was a pastor at the New Bethel Baptist Church there.
Erma's mother passed away when Erma was 14 years old. Erma later went to college at Clark Atlanta University to study business.
Her Music Career
When Erma was a child, she sang at the New Bethel Baptist Church. She sang with her sisters, Aretha Franklin and Carolyn Franklin.
Later, when Aretha became a famous singer, Erma often sang backing vocals for her. She also toured with Aretha. One of her most famous backing vocal performances was on Aretha's hit song "Respect".
In 1967, Erma Franklin released her own song, "Piece of My Heart". This song became a top 10 hit on the soul music charts in the U.S. It also reached number 62 on the main Billboard music chart. The song was written and produced by Bert Berns.
Years later, in the UK, Erma's version of "Piece of My Heart" was used in a TV commercial for Levi's jeans. This made the song popular again. It was re-released in the UK in 1992 and reached number 9 on the music charts.
Erma once said that when she first heard Janis Joplin's version of the song on the radio, she did not even recognize it!
In the mid-1970s, Erma Franklin stopped working in the music business full-time. She still sang sometimes with her sister Aretha. For example, she was a special guest at Aretha's TV show in 1986. She also performed at a big event for Nelson Mandela in Detroit in 1990.
Her Personal Life and Passing
Erma Franklin married Thomas Garrett. They had two children, Thomas Jr. and Sabrina.
For 25 years, Erma worked at the Boysville Holy Cross Community Center in Detroit. This organization helps children who are homeless or need support.
Erma Franklin passed away from cancer in Detroit on September 7, 2002. She was 64 years old. She is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Peaks | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
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| 1962 | Her Name is Erma | — | Epic | ||
| 1969 | Soul Sister | 199 | Brunswick | ||
| 2015 | The Electric Flag Featuring Erma Franklin - Live 1968 (with The Electric Flag) |
— | RockBeat | ||
| "—" means the album did not appear on the charts or was not released in that area. | |||||
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B /HH |
BEL (FL) |
DEN |
IRE |
NLD |
SWE |
UK |
UK R&B |
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| "Hello Again" | 1961 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Her Name is Erma |
| "What Kind of Girl" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Time After Time" | 1962 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Dear Momma" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "I Don't Want No Momma's Boy" | 1963 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Abracadabra" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Big Boss Man" | 1967 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Piece of My Heart" | 62 | 10 | 33 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 25 | 9 | 5 | ||
| "Open Up Your Soul" | 1968 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "I'm Just Not Ready For Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Right to Cry" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "It Could've Been Me" | 1969 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Saving My Love For You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Soul Sister | |
| "Gotta Find Me a Lover (24 Hours a Day)" | — | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | ||
| "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" | 1970 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| "—" means the single did not appear on the charts or was not released in that area. | |||||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Erma Franklin para niños
