[political1]

Aretha Franklin always wanted half of her pay up front because she had lost money by shady promoters in the past. If they didn't produce the money she wouldn't go on stage even if she was at the venue. It was in her contracts until she quit touring.

[political1]

As a matter of fact when she played the White house before Barack Obama. They gave her a ten thousand dollar stipend before she went on stage as an acknowledgment to this policy.