Written by Eleven8 courtesy of thejasminebrand.com
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, passed away at the age of 76-years-old. Franklin passed away at her home in Detroit and was surrounded by loved ones. The cause was advanced pancreatic cancer.
It was announced Sunday night that the legendary singer was surrounded by family after falling gravely ill. According to close friend Roland Martin, she had been sick for months. Another close source says that doctors have told the family to prepare themselves, citing the singer was down to just 86 lbs.
Aretha Franklin had been battling health concerns for years. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent surgery in December 2010.
Franklin has not performed live since November 2017, when she took the stage at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation gala in New York. She was honored at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy gala in January but did not perform.
Amidst reports that Franklin was gravely ill, singer Beyonce dedicated the Detroit leg of the “On The Run II” tour to her while in the Queen of Soul’s hometown.
Shortly after Jay-Z and Beyonce performed “Holy Grail” as their opening song, Beyonce addressed the audience in the wake of the news surrounding Aretha Franklin. “We love you,” she told the crowd of over 40,000, thanking the legendary singer for “the beautiful music.” DJ Khaled also included the singer’s hit song “Respect” during his opening set.
Tributes to the Queen of Soul:
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.
— Barack Obama
“I am deeply saddened about the passing of the Queen of Soul and my sister in song, Aretha Franklin. Today the world has experienced a tremendous loss. Aretha was a rare treasure whose unmatched musical genius helped craft the soundtrack to the lives of so many. My sympathy, love and prayers go out to her family, loved ones and fans around the globe.”
–Singer Patti LaBelle
“I was fortunate enough to spend time with her and witness her last performance—a benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation at St. John The Divine Cathedral. She was obviously unwell, and I wasn’t sure she could perform. But Aretha did and she raised the roof. She sang and played magnificently, and we all wept. We were witnessing the greatest soul artist of all time. I adord her and worshipped her talent. God bless her. My condolences to all her family and friends. We share the same birthday—and that meant so much to me.
–Singer Elton John
“I’m sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin.”
–Singer Diana Ross
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