Music icon, Aretha Franklin dies at 76
Updated | By AFP
Aretha Franklin, the legendary singer known as the "Queen of Soul," has died in her home in Detroit. She was 76.
Franklin - who influenced generations of female singers with unforgettable hits including "Respect" (1967), "Natural Woman" (1968) and "I Say a Little Prayer" (1968) - passed away at 9:50 am (1350 GMT) at her home in Detroit from advanced pancreatic cancer, surrounded by family and loved ones.
She cemented her place in American music history with her powerful, bell-clear voice that stretched over four octaves. In her decades-long career, her hits spanned the genres, from soul to R&B, gospel and pop.
"It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the passing of Aretha Louise Franklin, the Queen of Soul," her family said in a statement issued by her publicist.
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart," the statement said.
"We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds."
Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. pic.twitter.com/bfASqKlLc5
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 16, 2018
She was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine put her at the top of its list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, male or female.
The 18-time Grammy award winner inspired myriad singers during her five-decade career from pop diva Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston, to Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and the late Amy Winehouse.
She was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and sang at the inaugurations of two presidents -- Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Franklin's declining health was first disclosed on the Showbiz 411 website late Sunday by Roger Friedman, a reporter and family friend. He wrote that she was "gravely ill in Detroit. The family is asking for prayers and privacy."
Remembering the Queen of Soul.
— The Kennedy Center (@kencen) August 16, 2018
The Kennedy Center pays tribute to a consummate artist and our dear friend, #ArethaFranklin. pic.twitter.com/fUagNfa16m
The Detroit News later reported that she was in hospice care, as artists from across the musical spectrum offered well wishes to the legendary singer who lived in Detroit - the Motor City, home of Motown - most of her life.
Franklin - who was widely known by only her first name, in true diva style - rose from singing gospel in her father's church to regularly topping rhythm and blues and pop charts in the 1960s and 1970s.
Beyond "Respect," her powerful cover of the Otis Redding tune that became her calling card, Franklin had dozens of Top 40 singles, according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Other hits include "Day Dreaming" (1972), "Jump to It" (1982), "Freeway of Love" (1985), and "A Rose Is Still A Rose" (1998). A 1986 duet with George Michael, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," hit number one in several countries.
Aretha, your music set a standard for every single lady in this industry to rise to. You have touched minds, hearts and spirits, including my own. I pray you have a smooth journey Ree Ree and hopefully I'll get to sing with you in the Heavenly choir. Love you #QueenOfSoul pic.twitter.com/Rrw6JjDtCg
— Gladys Knight (@MsGladysKnight) August 16, 2018
We’re saddened by the loss of Aretha Franklin. Asteroid 249516 Aretha, found by our NEOWISE mission and named after the singer to commemorate the #QueenOfSoul, will keep orbiting beyond Mars. See more details: https://t.co/NlW4vkmKDq pic.twitter.com/yZ0E5ofSQT
— NASA (@NASA) August 16, 2018
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