Aretha Does Motown

I was looking at a photo of Aretha Franklin tonight and got to thinking about the de Passe show "Motown 40."How did I get Aretha Franklin who was not even signed to Motown Records to solidly agree to talk for the camera? The best way to get somebody to do what you want is to let them do what they want in the process. My plan hinged on knowing that Aretha viewed herself as a Detroit Ambassador, rightly. My letter to her couched itself as an opportunity to talk about what Motown meant to the city while it was there, and when it left. Aretha knew me from The Hollywood Reporter, from a column I wrote called The Last Word that she read weekly and also from a great night at the Fillmore when she pulled RC onto the piano bench to do "Spirit in the Dark" with her. She agreed and by the time the production moved to Detroit, I was semi-hysterical. Aretha's favorite restaurant was secured for the location for shooting. Her favorite pink roses were in placed on the table, the restauranteur made her favorite snacks. We laid track for the camera next to the piano although she had made it clear she wasn't going to perform. All week preceding the day-- tiny-minded folks kept saying things like "You watch. She's gonna be so late, she'll throw us off schedule... if she shows up at all," and even if she does come, "she'll have her titties all hanging out of her dress." de Passe advised me to just be steady and for god's sake stop pacing. No more than ten minutes late, in she swept like a true Queen, dress all buttoned up to her chin, hat on her head and I started breathing again. One of the producers tried to talk to her but she swept past him heading staight at me. She glanced at the booth and the food as I pointed them out....but I also said, you might be more comfortable sitting at the piano and if your hands should fall down on the keys, that could be good... she laughed and went to the stool. I snuggled up against the inside curve of the baby grand with the camera a whisper away. Behind me, de Passe and Coston were whispering what to ask her, but I was in full tilt boogie mode.. I'd interviewed her on camera before and done hard research on what writers and artists she liked. She started talking about songwriter Robert Bateman and the amazing Four Tops and the people behind me let out a collective gasp when she started to play "Still Waters Run Deep." For the better part of the next hour, Aretha did Motown, just for us--a personal, brilliant miniature concert. There are sometimes major rewards for working your ass off and scheming to make things happen...which I guess is why you sometimes get to call yourself a producer. On "Motown 40" my credits read "Consulting Producer" and "Writer of Special Material." --Ruth Adkins Robinson