(CNN) Aretha Franklin, whose gospel-rooted singing and bluesy yet expansive delivery earned her the title " the Queen of Soul ," has died, a family statement said Thursday. She was 76.
Franklin died at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit, surrounded by family and friends, according to a statement on behalf of Franklin's family from her longtime publicist Gwendolyn Quinn.
The "official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit," the family statement 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. pic.twitter.com/bfASqKlLc5
"Aretha helped define the American experience," former President Barack Obama said in a statement . "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."
Live shot from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. RIP Aretha! Thank you for your music! #queenofsoul pic.twitter.com/ZW8e2S2wvk — Peggy DeOrio (@psdeorio) August 16, 2018
Legendary soul singer and Franklin's friend of more than sixty years, Sam Moore, had words of sorrow and comfort to offer.
"I adored her and I know the feelings were mutual. While I'm heartbroken that she's gone I know she's in the Lord's arms and she's not in pain or suffering anymore from the damn cancer that took her away from us," he said in a statement. "I'm going to hope, pray and count on the fact that I will see her again sometime. Rest in the Lord's arms in love, Re."
Franklin's fans paid tribute with flowers and a crown left on her Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles.
a source close to Franklin told CNN's Don Lemon that the singer was Her death comes three days aftera source close to Franklin told CNN's Don Lemon that the singer was in hospice care
"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," Franklin's family said.
"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."
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days, the statement said.
The singer had been reported to be in failing health for years and appeared frail in recent photos, but she kept her struggles private.
In February 2017, Franklin announced she would stop touring, but she continued to book concerts. Earlier this year, she canceled a pair of performances, including at the New Orleans Jazz Fest, on doctor's orders, according to Rolling Stone.
The singer's final public performance was last November, when she sang at an Elton John AIDS Foundation gala in New York.
Sing it: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Over the course of a professional career that spanned more than half a century, Franklin's songs not only topped the charts but became part of the vernacular.
She made "Respect," written by Otis Redding, a call to arms. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," a Carole King song, was an earthy expression of sexuality. "Think," which she wrote with her then-husband, Ted White, became a rallying cry for women fed up with loutish men.
The first woman admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she had 88 Billboard chart hits during the rock era, tops among female vocalists. At the peak of her career -- from 1967 to 1975 -- she had more than two dozen Top 40 hits.
Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Aretha Franklin performs at the opening of the new Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College in Silver Spring, Maryland, on September 11, 2009. Hide Caption 1 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos After a childhood of singing gospel music in Detroit, where her father was a minister, Franklin scored her first recording deal at age 18. In 1967 she signed with Atlantic Records, where she would record a string of hits. Hide Caption 2 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performs on stage in 1968. Hide Caption 3 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin photographed with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the late 1960's. In 1968 she was asked to perform at King's funeral, where she sang a stirring rendition of "Precious Lord, Take Thy Hand." Hide Caption 4 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Aretha Franklin performs at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 26, 1968. Hide Caption 5 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Aretha Franklin sits for a portrait with her father, Baptist preacher 'CL' (born Clarence LaVaughn), and her sister, fellow singer, Carolyn, in New York in 1971. Hide Caption 6 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Crowds gather for a performance by Franklin at the Apollo Theater in New York City on June 3, 1971. Hide Caption 7 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin, far left, performs at Jimmy Carter's Presidential Inaugural Gala on January 20, 1977, in Washington, D.C. Hide Caption 8 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin and Glynn Turman walk down the aisle at their wedding on April 11, 1978.
Editor's note: A previous version of this caption identified Franklin's husband as Glynn Russell. His full name is Glynn Russell Turman. Hide Caption 9 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin on stage in 1980. Hide Caption 10 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Dan Aykroyd (far left), John Belushi (second left), Aretha Franklin (center) and Matt "Guitar" Murphy (back right) in a scene from the 1980 film, "The Blues Brothers." Hide Caption 11 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin and Big Mama Thornton perform together onstage on the television series, 'Omnibus,' in 1980. Hide Caption 12 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin poses backstage during ChicagoFest in 1981. Hide Caption 13 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performs "Jumpin' Jack Flash" with Keith Richards and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones in 1986. Hide Caption 14 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin sings at the Park West Auditorium in Chicago in 1992. Hide Caption 15 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin preforms at the Lincoln Memorial for President Clinton's inaugural gala in 1992. Hide Caption 16 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin became the youngest Kennedy Center Honors Awards recipient in 1994. Hide Caption 17 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performs with, from left, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Carole King (obscured), Shania Twain and Celine Dion during the "Divas Live - An Honors Concert for VH1 Save the Music" at New York's Beacon Theater in 1998. Hide Caption 18 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performs at a JVC Jazz Festival concert at New York's Lincoln Center in 2000. Hide Caption 19 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin sings at civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks' funeral in 2005. Hide Caption 20 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Former President George W. Bush presented Franklin with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2005. The medal is awarded to those who have made contributions to national security, world peace or culture. Hide Caption 21 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin and Aaron Neville performed the national anthem before the 2006 Super Bowl in Detroit. Hide Caption 22 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin in 2008. Hide Caption 23 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performed "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009. Hide Caption 24 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin at The NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner in 2009. Hide Caption 25 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Musician Rob Thomas, Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Zach Levi, actress Jane Krakowski, singer Michael Buble and Franklin at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 2009. Hide Caption 26 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin during a 2010 concert, accompanied by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (far left) at the piano and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Hide Caption 27 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin and Oprah Winfrey during a star-studded taping of "Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular," in Chicago in 2011. Hide Caption 28 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos After canceling six months of public appearances because of medical problems, Franklin returned to the stage at the Jones Beach Theater in New York in 2011. Hide Caption 29 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin, seen on screen, at the "American Idol" finale in 2013. Hide Caption 30 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performs during the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Washington, D.C. in 2013. Hide Caption 31 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin waves while standing to receive an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Harvard University in 2014. Hide Caption 32 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos An emotional Attorney General Eric Holder, center, and President Barack Obama react after Franklin finished singing a song for Holder at an event celebrating the end of his tenure at the Department of Justice in 2015. Hide Caption 33 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Pope Francis looks on as Franklin performs during the 2015 Festival of Families in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hide Caption 34 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin performing in 2015 at the National Portrait Gallery, where she was honored. Hide Caption 35 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin singing at a benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York in 2017. Hide Caption 36 of 37 Photos: 'The Queen of Soul': Aretha Franklin in photos Franklin and her son Kecalf Cunningham stand under a newly unveiled street sign named in her honor outside Detroit's Music Hall in 2017. Hide Caption 37 of 37
"Aretha Franklin is not only the definitive female soul singer of the Sixties," according to her Rolling Stone biography, "she's also one of the most influential and important voices in pop history."
She won 18 Grammy awards, including the honor for best female R&B performance for eight straight years.
There was nothing run-of-the-mill about a Franklin performance. "I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)" is slinky and gritty, Franklin's voice sometimes a whisper over Spooner Oldham's electric piano.
"The House That Jack Built" fairly crackles: "I got the house / I got the car / I got the rug / And I got the rack / But I ain't got Jack," Franklin belts.
In Franklin's delivery, "Eleanor Rigby" was a figure of defiance; with Franklin's voice, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" went places not even Art Garfunkel, whose angelic tenor dominated Simon & Garfunkel's original version, could take it.
Her soul was as deep as her voice was strong.
"I think of Aretha as 'Our Lady of Mysterious Sorrows,'" wrote the late Jerry Wexler, Franklin's producer at Atlantic Records. "Her eyes are incredible, luminous eyes covering inexplicable pain. Her depressions could be as deep as the dark sea. I don't pretend to know the sources of her anguish, but anguish surrounds Aretha as surely as the glory of her musical aura."
Photos: Aretha Franklin and US presidents Legendary singer Aretha Franklin and future president, Donald Trump, attend the grand opening of the Trump International Hotel and Tower on May 19, 1997 in New York City. Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Aretha Franklin and US presidents Franklin performs at the inauguration ceremony for President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009. Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Aretha Franklin and US presidents President Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Aretha Franklin on November 9, 2005. The award is the nation's highest civilian honor, and recognizes exceptional meritorious service. Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Aretha Franklin and US presidents Franklin is applauded by fellow Kennedy Center Honors Awards honorees, as well as former first lady Hillary Clinton and US President Bill Clinton on December 4, 1994. Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Aretha Franklin and US presidents Former President George H.W. Bush congratulates Franklin after she was awarded an honorary doctorate at Harvard University commencement on May 29, 2014. Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Aretha Franklin and US presidents Franklin performs at the Inaugural Gala for President Jimmy Carter on January 20, 1977. Hide Caption 6 of 6
A recording career at 14
Perhaps more than any other soul star, Franklin's voice embodied the music's debt to gospel.
She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1942, but was raised mostly in Detroit, where her father, C.L. Franklin, was a prominent minister and a nationally known gospel singer. Franklin sang in the choir of her father's church and, though she declined her dad's offer of piano lessons and taught herself instead, began recording gospel music at age 14.
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She toured the gospel circuit with her father, befriending stars such as Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke. She later performed at Jackson's funeral.
She was signed to Columbia Records in 1960 by John Hammond, the eagle-eyed talent scout who also discovered Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, but she had only limited success at the label. It wasn't until her arrival at Atlantic Records in the decade's second half that she gave up trying to become a polished all-purpose entertainer for a career as a soul and R&B singer, backed by an earthy rhythm section from Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
"The backup musicians provided a much grittier, soulful and R&B-based accompaniment for Aretha's voice," according to the All Music Guide, "which soared with a passion and intensity suggesting a spirit that had been allowed to fly loose for the first time."
Over a year-and-a-half stretch from 1967 to 1968, Franklin racked up 10 Top Ten hits.
"It had looked for the longest time like I would never have a gold record," she told Time magazine in 1968. "I wanted one so bad."
Songs like "Respect" were not only huge sellers, they were also adopted by African-Americans and feminists as anthems for social change.
Civil rights icon and US Rep. John Lewis recalled Franklin's "unwavering" commitment to the movement.
"What made her talent so great was her capacity to live what she sang," Franklin said in a statement Thursday. "Her music was deepened by her connection to the struggles and the triumphs of the African American experience growing up in her father's church, the community of Detroit, and her awareness of the turmoil of the South."
After Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, Franklin sang at his funeral.
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The hits kept coming throughout the early 1970s, including "Spanish Harlem" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water."
By the late '70s, Franklin's star power began to wane, as the golden age of soul ended and as critics and fans became less enthusiastic about her continuing output. However, she re-emerged in the 1980s, releasing the 1985 album "Who's Zoomin' Who?", which spawned the hit "Freeway of Love."
She also collaborated with the Eurythmics on "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" and British pop star George Michael on the smash duet, "I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)." The latter hit No. 1, her last chart-topper.
"Don't say Aretha is making a comeback," she said at the time. "Who's Zoomin' Who" was released, she said, "because I've never been away."
Personal pain lent depth to her music
Franklin's reportedly tumultuous personal life, meanwhile -- she was twice divorced and had brushes with the law -- was shrouded in secrecy.
She was the mother of four sons -- she gave birth to the first at 15 and the second at 17, according to a 1995 Ebony magazine profile. The article depicted her as a warm, down-to-earth woman with a crackling sense of humor, who answered the door in bare feet and confided her diet secret was a combination of Slim-Fast and younger men. She also was reportedly an accomplished cook, telling Ebony, "I can wear some chitlins out."
The Ebony profile suggested the source of some of that pain might have been Franklin's growing up largely without a mother -- Barbara Franklin left the family in 1948, when Franklin was 6, and died four years later -- or the anguish of losing her father.
C.L. Franklin was shot in his home by burglars in 1979 and lived for five years in a semi-coma before dying, the magazine said. Asked the toughest decision she ever had to make, Franklin told Ebony, "It was when my dad was in the hospital," and began to cry.
But Franklin's lows and the emotion involved fueled her music. She saw a number of resurgences in the past three decades and her image as a pop icon endured, with President Barack Obama featuring her singing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at his inauguration in 2009. She also performed at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1992.
Franklin was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2005. In 1986, her voice was declared a national resource by the Michigan Legislature. She even had an asteroid named for her.
"She looks rested and relaxed, like a housewife headed out to do some shopping at the local K-Mart," Ebony reporter Laura Randolph wrote in the 1995 profile. "There, or at the Woolworth's Five and Dime where, she recalls, she's spent many an afternoon 'browsing and buying knick-knacks' then 'sitting down at the counter to a scrumptious turkey and dressing plate with mashed potatoes oozing with gravy and loving it.' "
Health issues derailed her late career
Franklin battled health issues in recent years, struggling with weight gain and associated ailments.
In August 2010, she canceled two free concerts in New York because of "fractured ribs and pain in the abdomen," spokeswoman Gwendolyn Quinn said, adding that Franklin's doctors had told her to come in for tests immediately.
That November, her doctors ordered her to cancel all personal appearances for the next six months, the Detroit Free Press reported. In early December, Franklin underwent surgery deemed "highly successful."
She also canceled some appearances in 2013.
However, she recovered enough to return to touring in 2014, including a performance at New York's Radio City Music Hall. She'd also lost almost 100 pounds.
"It's fun buying new clothes!" she told USA Today. "I couldn't stay out of the mirror, just turning every way. This is my natural weight."
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As for her old wardrobe? The shopper knew exactly what to do with those outfits.
"I'm thinking of giving them to a resale shop," Franklin said.
Her final album, "A Brand New Me," paired Franklin's original recordings of some of her greatest hits with modern musical arrangements from London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
But gospel was only part of her vocabulary. The playfulness and harmonic sophistication of jazz, the ache and sensuality of the blues, the vehemence of rock and, later, the sustained emotionality of opera were all hers to command.
[We want to hear from you. Tell us how Aretha Franklin’s music influenced you.]
Ms. Franklin did not read music, but she was a consummate American singer, connecting everywhere. In an interview with The New York Times in 2007, she said her father had told her that she “would sing for kings and queens.”
“Fortunately I’ve had the good fortune to do so,” she added. “And presidents.”
For all the admiration Ms. Franklin earned, her commercial fortunes were uneven, as her recordings moved in and out of sync with the tastes of the pop market.
[Aretha Franklin wasn’t just a vocal genius. She was a model of empowerment and pride.]
After her late-1960s soul breakthroughs and a string of pop hits in the early 1970s, the disco era sidelined her. But Ms. Franklin had a resurgence in the 1980s with her album “Who’s Zoomin’ Who” and its Grammy-winning single, “Freeway of Love,” and she followed through in the next decades as a kind of soul singer emeritus: an indomitable diva and a duet partner conferring authenticity on collaborators like George Michael and Annie Lennox. Her latter-day producers included stars like Luther Vandross and Lauryn Hill, who had grown up as her fans. Onstage, Ms. Franklin proved herself night after night, forever keeping audiences guessing about what she would do next and marveling at how many ways her voice could move.
Mother Sang Gospel
Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis on March 25, 1942. Her mother, Barbara Siggers Franklin, was a gospel singer and pianist. Her parents separated when Aretha was 6, leaving her in her father’s care. Her mother died four years later after a heart attack.
She made Barack Obama cry and was long ago anointed the Queen of Soul and although there have been a few pretenders to her throne over the years, she still reigns imperiously, regularly cited as the greatest female singer of modern times.
Aretha Franklin may have died today aged 76 but the music of “Lady Soul” will long be celebrated. The songs in the following selection of greatest hits come from Aretha’s golden Atlantic Records period from 1967 to 1970, but that is no slight on her later triumphs. It’s just that these songs represent some of the greatest recordings in the history of soul music.
10. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man (1967)
A child prodigy who began singing in her father’s church aged 12, Franklin made her first record at 14, but after six fruitless years on the Columbia label, she cut a frustrated, unfulfilled figure. All that changed in 1966 when she signed to Atlantic Records and immediately found her muse. Her first recording with Atlantic, the epoch-making single “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You)”, was backed with “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”, a gospel influenced plea for love, affection and respect featuring a beautifully soulful vocal from Aretha. Backed by the famed Muscle Shoals house band and with lustrous backing vocals from her sisters Carolyn and Erma and Whitney Houston’s mother Cissy, Aretha added her own sumptuous piano and organ and delivered the definitive version of a much covered classic.
9. Don’t Play That Song (1970)
Demonstrating Aretha’s oft overlooked piano chops to great effect (check her 1970 appearance on the Cliff Richard show on YouTube), this million-selling single features an exuberant whooping and soaring Franklin vocal, totally at odds with the song’s lyrics. (She can’t stand to listen to the song that reminds her so much of her lying lover.)
8. Chain of Fools (1967)
Aretha picked up a Grammy for a typical gospel-flecked powerhouse vocal on her fifth hit single in 1967 alone, and one which reached number two in the Billboard charts. Aretha brilliantly dons the persona of a woman who knows she is part of her lover’s harem, but who just can’t help herself. Written by Don Covay and owing much to Joe South’s sinewy guitar and the irresistible backing vocals of The Sweet Inspirations, “Chain of Fools” capped a remarkable year for Franklin in which she rewrote the rules of soul music.
7. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (1967)
One of Aretha’s many signature songs and composed by Carole King and Gerry Goffin at the behest of producer Jerry Wexler, who wanted a “natural woman”-type song for her. So many of Aretha’s songs are about suffering and being unhappy in love but in this transcendent beauty, she rejoiced in love.
6. Ain’t No Way (1968)
Composed by her sister Carolyn, this heartfelt ballad begins with a more restrained and intimate feel than Aretha’s normal full on style, perfect for conveying her pain at unreciprocated love, before she really lets rip on the last third of the song. One of Aretha’s most moving and affecting recordings thanks to the precision and care of her performance and the heavenly backing from The Sweet Inspirations with an unforgettable vocal obbligato from Cissy Houston.
Aretha Franklin – career in pictures 51 show all Aretha Franklin – career in pictures 1/51 NBC via Getty Images 2/51 1968 Aretha Franklin was born in 1942 and went on to earn the title ‘The Queen of Soul’ for her services to music since the late 60s Getty 3/51 1968 Aretha Franklin performs onstage in 1968 Getty 4/51 1967 She signed to Atlantic Records in 1967 Rex 5/51 1968 Franklin achieved huge success with songs including “Spanish Harlem”, "I Say a Little Prayer" and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Getty 6/51 1974 She first sang as part of a gospel at a Detroit church where her father, C.L, was the pastor before embarking upon a full-time career in 1960 Rex 7/51 1977 Portrait of American soul singer Aretha Franklin Getty 8/51 1977 She won 18 Grammys Rex 9/51 1980 Aretha Franklin has sold over 75m records worldwide Getty 10/51 1981 George Benson and Aretha Franklin at the Greek Theatre Rex 11/51 1986 Aretha Franklin Showtime TV Special. In 1987, Franklin became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Rex 12/51 1992 American music executive Clive Davis and Aretha Franklin attend an event together Getty 13/51 1993 Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross perform at the Inaugural Gala for President Bill Clinton Rex Features 14/51 1994 US actor Kirk Douglas applauds singer Aretha Franklin at a reception for the Kennedy Center Honors, which recognised American performance artists who have made lifetime contributions to American culture AFP/Getty 15/51 1997 Aretha Franklin singing during the inaugural gala dedicated to US President Bill Clinton in Landover AFP/Getty Images 16/51 1998 Aretha Franklin had a cameo appearance in cult classic 'The Blues Brothers 2000' Rex Features 17/51 1998 Aretha Franklin poses with the Blues Brothers John Goodman, left, J.Evan Bonifant, second left, Joe Morton, second right, and Dan Aykroyd, right, after performing at the 40th Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York AFP/Getty 18/51 1998 Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti laughs along with singer Aretha Franklin and the group Boyz II Men after accepting the eighth MusiCares Foundation "Person of the Year" award in New York AFP/Getty 19/51 1999 US President Bill Clinton along with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton award singer Aretha Franklin with the 1999 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award AFP/Getty 20/51 2001 Aretha Franklin with show host and producer Don Cornelius Getty 21/51 2001 Aretha Franklin performs at the conclusion of the Lane Bryant Spring/Summer 2001 Lingerie Show at Studio 54 AFP/Getty Images 22/51 2001 Aretha Franklin onstage performing at 'VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin' Getty Images 23/51 2002 Torchbearer Aretha Franklin carries the Olympic Flame during the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay in Detroit Getty Images 24/51 2003 Carly Simon, Alicia Keys and Aretha Franklin perform on stage during Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Gala Getty 25/51 2005 Aretha Franklin and actor Hugh Jackman perform onstage at the 59th Annual Tony Awards Getty 26/51 2005 Aretha Franklin is presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil award, by President George Bush at the White House Getty 27/51 2005 Aretha Franklin (L) and Stevie Wonder onstage at the 10th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards Getty Images 28/51 2006 Aretha Franlkin and Aaron Neville perform the National Anthem prior to the start of Super Bowl XL between the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan Getty 29/51 2006 Aretha Franklin appears at Berklee College of Music commencement in Boston along with singer Melissa Etheridge, who both received honorary degrees for their achievements in music Getty 30/51 2007 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the 22nd annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony in New York Getty 31/51 2008 Aretha Franklin arrives at the 2008 MusiCares person of the year, which was honoring herself Getty 32/51 2008 Aretha Franklin accepts the Vanguard Award onstage during the 39th NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles Getty 33/51 2009 Aretha Franklin and Josh Groban perform during the Mandela Day Celebration Concert in New York City. Getty 34/51 2009 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting Getty 35/51 2010 Aretha Franklin and Ron Isley perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Center for Performing Arts Getty 36/51 2010 Comedian Jamie Foxx leads singer Aretha Franklin to the stage as she is inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame Getty 37/51 2011 US President Barack Obama kisses Aretha Franklin as First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar applaud after Franklin performed at the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington AFP/Getty 38/51 2011 Aretha Franklin and Elton John attend Tony Bennett's 85th Birthday Gala Benefit for Exploring the Arts at The Metropolitan Opera House Getty/Tony Bennett 39/51 2011 Aretha Franklin and Tony Bennett perform onstage Getty 40/51 2011 Aretha Franklin and Oprah Winfrey during the taping of the second to last Oprah Winfrey Show at the United Center in Chicago AFP/Getty 41/51 2011 Aretha Franklin performs to a SRO audience at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Getty 42/51 2012 Aretha Franklin and William Wilkerson attend the BET Honors 2012 Pre-Honors dinner at the Corcoran Gallery of Art Getty 43/51 2012 Aretha Franklin performs during the BET Honors 2012 at the Warner Theatre Getty 44/51 2012 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the 10th Annual TV Land Awards at the Lexington Avenue Armory Getty 45/51 2013 Aretha Franklin performs during the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington AFP/Getty 46/51 2014 Reverend Al Sharpton and Aretha Franklin attend his 60th birthday celebration at the Four Seasons Restaurant Getty 47/51 2015 US President Barack Obama and outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder listen to singer Aretha Franklin at the Justice Department in Washington. The event marked Holder's anticipated departure after more than six years of service. AFP/Getty Images 48/51 2015 Pope Francis looks on as Aretha Franklin performs during the Festival of Families Getty Images 49/51 2016 Detroit native Aretha Franklin sings the National Anthem prior to the start of the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings game Getty 50/51 2017 Aretha Franklin performs during the "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives" Premiere Concert Getty/Tribeca Film Festival 51/51 2017 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Commemorates its 25th year Getty 1/51 NBC via Getty Images 2/51 1968 Aretha Franklin was born in 1942 and went on to earn the title ‘The Queen of Soul’ for her services to music since the late 60s Getty 3/51 1968 Aretha Franklin performs onstage in 1968 Getty 4/51 1967 She signed to Atlantic Records in 1967 Rex 5/51 1968 Franklin achieved huge success with songs including “Spanish Harlem”, "I Say a Little Prayer" and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Getty 6/51 1974 She first sang as part of a gospel at a Detroit church where her father, C.L, was the pastor before embarking upon a full-time career in 1960 Rex 7/51 1977 Portrait of American soul singer Aretha Franklin Getty 8/51 1977 She won 18 Grammys Rex 9/51 1980 Aretha Franklin has sold over 75m records worldwide Getty 10/51 1981 George Benson and Aretha Franklin at the Greek Theatre Rex 11/51 1986 Aretha Franklin Showtime TV Special. In 1987, Franklin became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Rex 12/51 1992 American music executive Clive Davis and Aretha Franklin attend an event together Getty 13/51 1993 Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross perform at the Inaugural Gala for President Bill Clinton Rex Features 14/51 1994 US actor Kirk Douglas applauds singer Aretha Franklin at a reception for the Kennedy Center Honors, which recognised American performance artists who have made lifetime contributions to American culture AFP/Getty 15/51 1997 Aretha Franklin singing during the inaugural gala dedicated to US President Bill Clinton in Landover AFP/Getty Images 16/51 1998 Aretha Franklin had a cameo appearance in cult classic 'The Blues Brothers 2000' Rex Features 17/51 1998 Aretha Franklin poses with the Blues Brothers John Goodman, left, J.Evan Bonifant, second left, Joe Morton, second right, and Dan Aykroyd, right, after performing at the 40th Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York AFP/Getty 18/51 1998 Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti laughs along with singer Aretha Franklin and the group Boyz II Men after accepting the eighth MusiCares Foundation "Person of the Year" award in New York AFP/Getty 19/51 1999 US President Bill Clinton along with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton award singer Aretha Franklin with the 1999 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award AFP/Getty 20/51 2001 Aretha Franklin with show host and producer Don Cornelius Getty 21/51 2001 Aretha Franklin performs at the conclusion of the Lane Bryant Spring/Summer 2001 Lingerie Show at Studio 54 AFP/Getty Images 22/51 2001 Aretha Franklin onstage performing at 'VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin' Getty Images 23/51 2002 Torchbearer Aretha Franklin carries the Olympic Flame during the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay in Detroit Getty Images 24/51 2003 Carly Simon, Alicia Keys and Aretha Franklin perform on stage during Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Gala Getty 25/51 2005 Aretha Franklin and actor Hugh Jackman perform onstage at the 59th Annual Tony Awards Getty 26/51 2005 Aretha Franklin is presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civil award, by President George Bush at the White House Getty 27/51 2005 Aretha Franklin (L) and Stevie Wonder onstage at the 10th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards Getty Images 28/51 2006 Aretha Franlkin and Aaron Neville perform the National Anthem prior to the start of Super Bowl XL between the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan Getty 29/51 2006 Aretha Franklin appears at Berklee College of Music commencement in Boston along with singer Melissa Etheridge, who both received honorary degrees for their achievements in music Getty 30/51 2007 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the 22nd annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony in New York Getty 31/51 2008 Aretha Franklin arrives at the 2008 MusiCares person of the year, which was honoring herself Getty 32/51 2008 Aretha Franklin accepts the Vanguard Award onstage during the 39th NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles Getty 33/51 2009 Aretha Franklin and Josh Groban perform during the Mandela Day Celebration Concert in New York City. Getty 34/51 2009 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting Getty 35/51 2010 Aretha Franklin and Ron Isley perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Center for Performing Arts Getty 36/51 2010 Comedian Jamie Foxx leads singer Aretha Franklin to the stage as she is inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame Getty 37/51 2011 US President Barack Obama kisses Aretha Franklin as First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar applaud after Franklin performed at the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington AFP/Getty 38/51 2011 Aretha Franklin and Elton John attend Tony Bennett's 85th Birthday Gala Benefit for Exploring the Arts at The Metropolitan Opera House Getty/Tony Bennett 39/51 2011 Aretha Franklin and Tony Bennett perform onstage Getty 40/51 2011 Aretha Franklin and Oprah Winfrey during the taping of the second to last Oprah Winfrey Show at the United Center in Chicago AFP/Getty 41/51 2011 Aretha Franklin performs to a SRO audience at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Getty 42/51 2012 Aretha Franklin and William Wilkerson attend the BET Honors 2012 Pre-Honors dinner at the Corcoran Gallery of Art Getty 43/51 2012 Aretha Franklin performs during the BET Honors 2012 at the Warner Theatre Getty 44/51 2012 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the 10th Annual TV Land Awards at the Lexington Avenue Armory Getty 45/51 2013 Aretha Franklin performs during the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington AFP/Getty 46/51 2014 Reverend Al Sharpton and Aretha Franklin attend his 60th birthday celebration at the Four Seasons Restaurant Getty 47/51 2015 US President Barack Obama and outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder listen to singer Aretha Franklin at the Justice Department in Washington. The event marked Holder's anticipated departure after more than six years of service. AFP/Getty Images 48/51 2015 Pope Francis looks on as Aretha Franklin performs during the Festival of Families Getty Images 49/51 2016 Detroit native Aretha Franklin sings the National Anthem prior to the start of the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings game Getty 50/51 2017 Aretha Franklin performs during the "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives" Premiere Concert Getty/Tribeca Film Festival 51/51 2017 Aretha Franklin performs onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Commemorates its 25th year Getty
5. I Say a Little Prayer (1968)
Not for the first or last time in her career, Aretha took a much loved original, in this case Dionne Warwick, and made the song her very own. Her spellbinding, soaring vocal backed by the impeccable choral harmonies of The Sweet Inspirations gave the song an irresistible pop/gospel feel and elevated Bacharach and David’s famous composition to a different plane.
4. Dr Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business) (1967)
A real slow burner this one, a self-penned, piano led blues that grows in intensity verse by verse until the stunning climactic ending. Somehow, Aretha manages to combine gospel and church with sex as she informs us that she don’t need no doctor as one visit from her man can cure all her ills. It’s well worth searching out her tour de force live version from 1971’s Live at Fillmore West for an appreciation of the unabashed sexuality of the song.
3. Think (1968)
Soon after turning Otis Redding's “Respect” into a timeless feminist anthem, Aretha composed her own demand for female and ethnic empowerment in yet another deathless classic vividly brought to life by Aretha herself in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.
2. Respect (1967)
Otis Redding's original was certainly a great record, but Aretha's blistering re-imagining blew it out the water and in the process became her first Billboard number one, winning her the first of her 18 Grammys. This instant classic became a huge feminist and civil rights anthem as Aretha turned the song on its head by taking it at a faster lick and adding some inspired and judicious lyrics.
Aretha and her sister Carolyn came up with the infectious “sock it to me” line which, as she later remembered, “coined a phrase”. And when Aretha sings about getting her “propers” (not in Redding's original), we're left in no doubt as to what she is referring to. The song's other startling innovation was the dramatic spelling out of the title R-E-S-P-E-C-T, just one of the many iconic moments in the Aretha Franklin canon.
1. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I loved You) (1967)
After her years of frustration with Columbia Records, the stars aligned as Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler provided the perfect ambience and outstanding material and let Aretha's wonderful voice and dazzling piano chops do the rest. Aretha's first side on Atlantic Records was this watershed recording for both her own career and soul music itself. Recorded at the famed Muscle Shoals studios, this is it, the record that started it all for Aretha, a hugely influential unimpeachable masterpiece with her brilliant and impassioned vocals soaring and swooping over a smokin’ house band as her bountiful talents were at last allowed to flower. It's the song that ushered in Aretha's classic Atlantic era and lit the fuse for some of the greatest recordings in the history of soul music.
