It helps that Hudson can sing anything. And I mean everything. Respect covers a significant and tumultuous early period in Franklin’s professional career, showing the 18-year-old singer signing with Columbia Records and staying with her until she recorded her 1972 Grammy-winning album, Amazing Grace, which is still the best-selling record in Franklin’s entire catalog. During this time Franklin experimented with everything to establish her identity, switching from jazz and standards to pop music, soul and finally gospel. Hudson sings every note convincingly, and you marvel at her spiritual accomplishment, but then you pause and realize, “Wait, Franklin did it all first!” At least Franklin’s versatility as a songwriter and performer and her passion for perfection in her music conveys respect.
