Franklin was a self-taught musician who learned to play the piano by ear and couldn't read music.

Did Aretha Franklin have a baby by her father?

The father was widely believed and reported to be "Donald Burk, a boy she knew from school"; however, in one of her handwritten wills, discovered in 2019, Franklin revealed that the father was Edward Jordan. On August 31, 1957, Franklin had a second child with Jordan, named Edward Derone Franklin after his father.

How accurate is genius Aretha?

Yes, 'Genius: Aretha' is based on a true story. The series sheds some light on how Aretha Franklin went on to become a global star, despite her struggles. ... The third season of the show is created by Suzan-Lori Parks, who tried her best to capture the details of Aretha's life as accurately as possible.