Legendary American singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin dies at 76
Detroit: Aretha Franklin, the legendary American singer-songwriter, who was known as "The Queen of Soul," died on Thursday in Detroit, losing her battle with pancreatic cancer. The singer who moved American hearts for generations with her signature song Respect in 1967 was 76.
In a statement her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn said: "It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the passing of Aretha Louise Franklin, the Queen of Soul, in a statement issued by Franklin’s family."
"Franklin, 76 years old, passed away on Thursday morning, August 16 at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit, MI, surrounded by family and loved ones. 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, MI.
“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 statement read.
Former American President Barak Obama said: "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."
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
Born on March 25, 1942 this American singer and songwriter began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was minister. In 1960, at the age of 18, she embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records but achieving only modest success.
In 1967 she sang for Atlantic Records and it catapulted her to acclaim with songs like "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Spanish Harlem" and "Think".
She later signed with Arista Records, finding success with the albums Jump to It (1982) and Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985), and her part in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.
In 1998, she sang the opera aria "Nessun dorma" at the Grammy Awards that year, replacing Luciano Pavarotti. Later that year, she scored her final Top 40 song with "A Rose Is Still a Rose".
An electrifying performance by Aretha Franklin that moved Obama to tears at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015
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