‘She Knew Chicago’: Aretha Franklin’s ‘Younger Brother’ Reminisces About Queen of Soul

Billy Always is the godson of the late gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, and although technically not related to Aretha Franklin, he was raised as her younger brother because his mother was one of Franklin's best friends.

"I've known her all my life," the Chicago-based recording artist said, "since she was a teenager when she was singing for sock hops and for skating parties."

On the day of Franklin's death, Always sat down with Mother Wade, owner of Capt’s Hard Times soul food restaurant on 79th Street, to share a few memories.

In the videos below, Always talks about his family's relationship with Franklin, one of the last times he saw her and a moment that will stick with him forever.

“Aretha wrote her own story, she told her own story," Always said. "She wasn't bound to the -isms."

“I was raised as Aretha's younger brother"

Recording artist Billy Always talks about his family's relationship with Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. "Aretha, well I've known her all my life, since she was a teenager when she was singing for sock hops and for skating parties."

Billy Always talks about one of the last times he saw Aretha Franklin.

"Aretha was a straight shooter," Billy Always said. "That's what I most loved about her. There was no BS in her. If you wanted to know what she thought, she would tell you."

"If you look at what music was in the '60s and look at the charts before Aretha Franklin, and then you look afterward, she told her story and she wasn't shackled by anything."