Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, died Thursday morning at her home in Detroit after a long battle with cancer, her family said in a statement. She was 76 years old.
The family said Franklin died from advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type. The cause of death was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, according to the statement.
“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 family 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.”
Within minutes of the news of her death, musicians, actors, producers, high-profile executives, political figures and others paid tribute to the powerful singer. On Twitter, President Trump called Franklin’s voice “a wonderful gift from God.”
In a statement, former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said every time Franklin sang “we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine.
“Through her compositions and unmatched musicianship, Aretha helped define the American experience,” the Obamas said. “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. She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance.”
Funeral arrangements would be announced “in the coming days,” Franklin’s family said.
Franklin’s prolific career spanned six decades and included hit songs like “Respect,” “A Natural Woman” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” Even in her 70s, she was still performing. In 2015, her performance of “A Natural Woman” at the Kennedy Center Honors brought Mr. Obama to tears.
Franklin, whose father was a Baptist preacher, was born in Memphis but grew up in Detroit, where she began singing in the church choir at an early age. By many accounts, the young prodigy learned to play piano by ear. By the age of 14, with her father’s encouragement, Franklin started making records. Her early music blended gospel and jazz. By 1961, she made the transition into pop; between 1961 and 1969, she recorded 10 albums with Columbia Records.
The singer’s career took off when she recorded her 1967 hit “Respect,” which won two Grammy Awards. The song was off her first platinum album, “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You.” She would go on to win 18 Grammy Awards in total and perform at three presidential inaugurations. Franklin was also the first woman to be induct
ed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
But Franklin did not have an easy road to success. Her mother moved away when Franklin was just 6 years old, and died four years later from a heart attack. Franklin’s father raised her as a single parent.
Franklin herself was already a mother before she struck fame. Just before she turned 13, Franklin gave birth to her first child, and she had the second of her four children less than two years later.
The singer also struggled with depression, alcoholism and her weight. A biography said that Franklin was “overwhelmed by fear and obsessed with control” and was afraid her fans would forget her. Franklin was also known for her fear of flying; she frequently took buses instead.
In spite of her fears, Franklin’s legacy remained strong even in recent years. In 2015, she sang for Pope Francis in Philadelphia. But last year, she announced her semi-retirement, saying she was no longer going to perform regularly after the release of her newest album, “A Brand New Me.” She said last February, “This will be my last year. I will be recording, but this will be my last year in concert. This is it.” Franklin said she wanted to spend more time with her grandchildren.
Rumors swirled that Franklin’s health was in decline over the last decade. In 2011, she told Anthony Mason for “CBS Sunday Morning” that there was nothing to worry about. She said, “My health is wonderful. It is fabulous now.” Franklin added of any health issues, “It wasn’t anything well, it wasn’t bad.”
Her last known performance was in November, for Elton John’s AIDS Foundation Fall Gala. Franklin died in Detroit, which is where she spent most of her childhood and adult life. In 2016, she made headlines when she donated hotel stays and food to nearby Flint residents during their water crisis.
Two other famous musicians also died on Aug. 16. Thursday marked the anniversary of the deaths of Elvis Presley, who died in 1977 at the age of 42, and of famed blues guitarist and singer Robert Johnson, who died in 1938.
Continue Reading and watching
