Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, dead at 76
Aretha Franklin, the iconic American singer whose voice dazzled the world for more than half a century, has died. She was 76.
Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn tells The Associated Press through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit. The statement said “Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute” in Detroit.
The family added: “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. 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.
We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
The legend’s health had been a concern in recent years. In 2017, Franklin canceled a number of concerts citing health reasons. Her last public performance came on Nov. 7, where she sang at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Gala in New York City.
Born in Memphis, Tenn., in 1942, Franklin’s singing career began as a child when she sang gospel music at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. Her father, C.L. Franklin, was the church’s minister. When she was 14, her father began to serve as her manager and would take the teenage Aretha around various churches to perform.
She had moderate success after sealing her first record deal in 1961, but it wasn’t until she signed with Atlantic Records in 1967 that her star really took off. Her first major hit, “Respect” went to number one on the charts and was quickly followed by a string of success including, “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” “Ain’t No Way,” and “Think.”
Her career success continued for the next five decades. A 1998 operatic performance of Luciano Pavarotti’s “Nessun dorma” at the Grammy Awards is one critics consider to be one of the best performances of her career.
Franklin is among the best-selling artists in music history, with 75 million records sold worldwide. She was the recipient of 21 Grammy Awards, the third most for a female artist. In 1987, she became the first woman to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005, Franklin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. The medal is the highest award bestowed to civilians in the United States.
The singer's funeral is set for August 31 in Detroit.