Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, Has Died At the Age of 76

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, has passed after a longstanding battle with her health. She was 76.

Over the weekend, news surfaced of the legendary singer’s ailing health with friends and family members classifying her condition as “gravely ill.” At the time, sources say she was surrounded by family, who in turn, asked the public for their thoughts and prayers.

On Monday, Franklin was in hospice care at her home in Detroit, as family members gathered to say their final goodbyes to the music legend. Three days later, she passed.

Franklin’s singing career, which spanned over the course of six decades, began as a child at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father was a minister. At age 18, Franklin later switched to secular music, which resulted in a deal with Atlantic Records.

During her stint with the label, Franklin created some of her greatest hits, achieving widespread commercial acclaim and success at the age of 25. Songs including “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” quickly catapulted Franklin to superstardom — earning the title, “The Queen of Soul.”

After 77 Billboard Hot 100 entires, 17 Top Ten Pop Singles, 100 R&B entires, with 20 No. 1 R&B Singles, Franklin quickly became the most charted female artist in history.

Throughout her career, Franklin has won 18 Grammy Awards and sold over 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all-time. She was also the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in addition to the UK Music Hall of Fame and even the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

In February of 2017, Franklin announced her retirement from touring, though she agreed to finish her booked shows. But, upon her decline in health, the singer began cancelling performances.

However, Aretha’s legacy lives on. Our condolences to the family and friends of the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.