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When to pull back. you look at singers ranging from whitney houston to mariah carey to mayor ry j. blige and beyoné and you will see her inspiration in them. >> eric, was she a mentor to these women? clearly an inspiration, but was she a leader among female artists? >> i think her example was certainly -- provided a lot of leadership. again, you talked earlier about how songs like "respect" and "natural woman" inspired women in general, but certainly inspired female singers to realize what they could accomplish and how they could be successful. the first woman inducted into the rock & roll ha...

She's had a role in civil rights. she's had remarkable influence in different genres of music. she even succeeded in opera. what is your sense of aretha franklin? we call her the queen of soul, but she is the queen of so much more really. >> she was just the queen for me, you know. she was a special lady. i remember one time she was in new orleans at the jazz fest, and i did a thing called "the field of cotton." and it was like a commercial. aretha franklin pulled up in her memo and the guy said, she would like to have a word with you. i went to the car and the window came down and she said, l...

. -- gallows sense of humor. >> it's not how tall you get, it's whether you keep your feet on the ground. everybody we've talked to today tells those stories, that she was curious, kind, and funny. i like the fact that in 1985 the state of michigan declared aretha franklin a natural resource. michael eric dyson, thanks a mill to you, to eric diggins, to chris farley, to reverend al, all who have joined us in this last hour. >> not only could she cook -- >> she could burn. and that's a compliment, to be clear. people have said that about me and it has not been a compliment. i'm thankful to aret...