The world is better because she was in it. Our lives will never be the same due to her artistry. Thank you Ms. Franklin, and may you rest in peace.
Aretha Franklin, the self-taught piano prodigy, vocalist and songwriter who first conquered the charts in the late ’60s and never relinquished her throne, died Thursday morning of advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, her publicist confirms to PEOPLE. She was 76.
“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,” the family said in a statement.
“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.”
More:
Aretha Franklin, the Greatest Singer of Our Generation, Passes Away at 76, Leaves a Towering Legacy
My two favorite videos:
And when Ms. Franklin stepped in for an ailing Pavoratti at the Grammys with Nessun Dorma
She was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I was there this summer and she had quite the spread dedicated to her. Thanks for the beauty Aretha. YOU greet the Choir of Angels when you get up there and blow them away!
Here are some other of Aretha’s “greatest hits.” And weren’t they *all* “greatest hits? RIP Aretha Franklin.
https://variety.com/2018/music/news/aretha-franklin-dead-best-live-performances-1202903223/
I’ve been listening to her songs all morning. I have a teenage son and a 21 year-old daughter and I have been playing all her songs for them and my son is like, “she sang that song too!” A very sad day for me. I just adored her.
I grew up listening to her music, including her gospel music. Aretha’s range was incredible and she seemed to sing effortlessly. Her passing felt like a death in my family. It was a death, in America’s family. Rest in heaven Ms. Franklin, and thank you.
Here is one of my favorites from her…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtBbyglq37E
This!
https://youtu.be/G1p92gQTQCg
All I know is, when she sang “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, President Obama openly wept. RIP Aretha.