And now a few notes from Aretha ....

Aretha Franklin sings at President Obama's 2009 inauguration.

Comes the sad news this week that Aretha Franklin, now 76 and unchallenged as Queen of Soul, is seriously ill and under hospice care at her Detroit home.

Which brought to mind, among many others, an amazing performance by Ms. Franklin during the 1998 Grammy awards of the Puccini aria "Nessun Dorma."

Acclaimed tenor Luciano Pavarotti had made the aria --- intended for a tenor voice --- from the final act of the Puccini opera "Turandot" his signature piece and was scheduled to perform it at the Grammys that year, but fell ill.

Ms. Franklin had performed the piece elsewhere, so was familiar with it --- but had only something like 20 minutes notice before agreeing to "give it a whirl" when asked to stand in for Pavarotti during the ceremony, broadcast live.

Here's what happened --- and keep in mind that recording technology just 20 years ago was far removed from what it is today.