Aretha Franklin “The Queen of Soul” Dies At 76

Music icon, legendary singer and the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin passed away on Thursday, following reports that she was seriously ill. The gospel-rooted singer, who had been suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, died at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit, her publicist said. She was 76 years old.

“The Gospel Music community is deeply saddened by the loss of Aretha Franklin. Aretha’s Gospel roots influenced music in the church and around the world. We are honored to have inducted her into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2012 and will forever celebrate her legacy and global impact.” — said Jackie Patillo, President & Executive Director Gospel Music Association

About Aretha Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer and pianist. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, 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. After signing to Atlantic Records in 1966, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as “Respect”, “Chain of Fools”, “Think”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)”, and “Spanish Harlem”.

By the end of the 1960s she was being called “The Queen of Soul“. Franklin recorded acclaimed albums such as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967), Lady Soul (1968), Young, Gifted and Black (1972) and Amazing Grace (1972), before experiencing problems with her record company by the mid-1970s. Read More…

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