Which singer was from the United States, Ian Ball or Aretha Franklin?
Aretha Louise Franklin
Title: Ian Ball
Passage: Ian Thomas Ball (born 19 October 1975) is an English musician, most notable for being part of the indie rock band Gomez, sharing lead vocals and guitars.  He has also performed and released two solo albums (as of June 2017).  He is also a member of the 14 piece supergroup Operation Aloha (album).  along with fellow Gomez member Olly Peacock.
Title: Aretha Franklin
Passage: Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer and songwriter.  Franklin began her career as a child singing gospel at the church of her father, minister C. L. Franklin's church.  In 1960, at the age of 18, Franklin embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records but only achieving modest success.  Following her signing to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Spanish Harlem" and "Think".  By the end of the 1960s decade she had gained the title "The Queen of Soul".
Title: Laughing on the Outside
Passage: Laughing on the Outside is the fifth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, Released on August 12, 1963 by Columbia Records.  The album was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in New York and Hollywood.  These sessions found a 21-year-old Aretha Franklin recording Jazz Music and Pop Music standards, from Johnny Mercer to Duke Ellington.  She is backed by the arrangements of Columbia producer Robert Mersey.  One of the most popular songs from the album is Aretha's interpretation of the classic "Skylark".  A minute and fifty-eight seconds into the song, Aretha sings the word "Skylark" with power and emotion.  This was one of the first times in which Aretha recorded one of her written compositions, "I Wonder (Where Are You Tonight)", on an album.  Though somewhat overlooked in her Columbia catalogue, this album was jointly re-released with "The Electrifying Aretha Franklin" in June 2008.
Ian Ball Aretha Franklin