The Impersonator

Mary Jones could sing just like Aretha Franklin. One night, a James Brown impersonator saw her perform at a Motown tribute show - and thought he could take her on tour and trick audiences into believing she was the real Queen of Soul. Jeff Maysh tells the story. Learn more in Jeff Maysh’s piece for Smithsonian Magazine, “The Counterfeit Queen of Soul.” Thank you for being a member of Criminal Plus . To access our members-only merch store, click here . Say hello on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery, which you can subscribe to ad-free on your account page . Artwork by Julienne Alexander . Episode transcripts are posted on our website . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices