Aretha Franklin passed away last night. She was released from the hospital several days ago, and it was reported that she was receiving hospice care. I tend to believe that Aretha knew that the end was near and she wanted to be surrounded by her family and friends in her own home when she left this earth. I also appreciate – in a bittersweet way – the fact that Aretha’s family released the information about how the end was near at the start of the week. We got a chance to reflect on Aretha’s legacy as an artist, as a woman, as a civil rights icon and more.
Aretha had been battling cancer for several years, and I just learned that it was pancreatic cancer. Reportedly, she was surrounded by all of the people she loved and who loved her. She was 76 years old and she lived an absolutely incredible life – you can read her Wiki page here. I’m going to post some of her songs and performances. She was the greatest vocalist of the 20th century. We’ll miss her so much.
Aretha Franklin singing at President Obama's inauguration. RIP the Queen of Soul. pic.twitter.com/3PT9Kp9zit
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 16, 2018
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Sad news. What an incredible hit maker. I hope she rests in peace.
Incredible artist.
Vale Queen Aretha.
Sad. 😤 I just hope she wasn’t in a lot of pain and i prayers go out to her family and friends. I grew up listening to Mrs Franklin and my mom would play her records every Sunday and because of that as an adult I listened to Mrs Franklin every Sunday as well. It was a way of going to church when you couldn’t make it to church or a way to continue church when church was over. She was truly 1 of a kind, a beautiful voice and a classy women. She will be truly missed.
Incredibly sad. She was a true talent. RIP; deepest condolences to her family, friends and fans.
She is lucky to have had years after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. My uncle died of this last Dec. Seven months from diagnosis till passing. Same for my best friend’s mother (she had six months). Cancer is a horrible, horrible disease.
It’s an incredibly aggressive and vicious form of cancer. My uncle also had it and he lasted 6 months. He was misdiagnosed two years prior as having had diabetes.
Rest in peace and joy, Ms. Franklin. You were a blessing to this earth. I am thankful her recordings to live on.
My grandmother was diagnosed in November and passed February. One of the most painful forms of cancer. Just sad because I’m old school and all the greats are passing away. Sad day.
My grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March and died in August of the same year.She had been misdiagnosed as having stomach (gastric ) issues.
I am so sad to hear this. Rest In Peace Aretha Franklin. Truly one of the greats. RESPECT. ❤︎
Rest peacefully, Aretha.
We had tickets to see her in June. When she canceled, I feared the end was coming. Even still, this hits hard. We will not see her like again. Rest In Peace, Queen Aretha.
We saw her at the Wisconsin State Fair in – I think it was 2014 or 2015, and it was truly a peak moment for me because she is part of the soundtrack of my life (so many of our lives!) and because unlike a lot of performers I’ve seen at “smaller” venues, she so very much did NOT phone it in. An incredible performer, and an old friend of hers was in the crowd. She called the woman’s name and asked if she was there, and they had a conversation right there – Aretha asked if her children were there and admired the grandchildren and made arrangements for her to come back after the show, then continued on dazzling us with her voice, piano styling and her very talented nephew, who was part of her band.
RIP, Queen, and thanks for all you gave us.
R E S P E C T – For a great woman and entertainer. R I P Aretha.
What a voice. What a woman. Rest in peace.
RIP. Pancreatic cancer sucks 🙁
Exactly awful. She is the same age as my mother when she passed same thing.
I have been listening to Aretha for the past few days. What a voice..
ICON.
Her music will not be forgotten.
I am totally gutted. There will never be anyone like her again. I hope she is singing in heaven with Whitney.
Beautiful. They were both legends and their music won’t be forgotten.
What. A. Life. She was her own solar system.
This is so sad. RIP
RIP, Aretha. You will be missed.
I am going to reflect on the decades of music she has left behind…. what a legacy.
RIP. What an amazing woman. It’s probably not considered an iconic performance but I just loved her in Blues Brothers.
Same!
Me three! I loved her in the Blues Brothers movie. A perfect example of a strong woman for me as a young adult. Aretha is the best and will always be best❤️
What sad news. Thanks for posting all those pics and the videos. She was such an icon.
So sad. RIP.
Amazing talent, Godspeed Miss Franklin.
Well we all will miss her. May she rest in peace. Aretha Franklin, thanks for the great music Queen of Soul
https://youtu.be/z4rMZCDQukQ
My favorite. She’s an icon. So sad she’s gone.
Absolutely heartbreaking. Her voice was angelsong, exquisite purity that lifted the soul and soothed the troubled spirit. Without a doubt, the Precious Lord has Taken her Hand.
I used to play Aretha Franklin as my inauguration cd (cassette – lol – I’m old) for every new car I acquired and home I moved into. Her songs are the theme music of my childhood.
All Hail The Queen indeed.
You will be missed.
Just yesterday, I made a new playlist for the car. Aretha was in the first 5 slots. I had the top down and was singing along at the top of my voice.
Such a great talent; a real loss for all of us. RIP
She, like many great r&b and soul artists, was a huge part of my childhood. My parents played her music around our home so much when I was growing up! She will be greatly missed. May she R.I.P.
I saw an interview a long time ago where Keith Richards, of all people, explained why she was the best singer of all time -she would sing each note just slightly above and below on the way to the next one, and fill them with heart and emotion.
Thanks for being here, Queen, and rest in peace.
I’m gonna go look for her Blues Brothers cameo on YouTube and dance along.
I feel like crying.
A real DIVA.
I dont think I really believe in The Afterlife, but if that lady was half as good a person as she was a singer, I hope she’s at rest in her perfect vision of heaven. Her voice was a gift, straight up. The first time I heard her sing, it was in The Blues Brothers. I was a kid- maybe 7 or 8 years old. I thought she was so amazing, I made my mom bring me to the mall so I could buy a tape of her greatest hits. I still have that album… I’m on my 3rd or 4th CD by now. Her voice still gives me chills.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
The Kennedy Center performance has got me balling right now. May this glorious woman rest in peace and glamour. So much gratitude to her for bringing me life so many times since I was a kid.
R.I.P. to an icon.
Respect.
Thank you for sharing the clip of her at Obama’s inauguration. Amazing, moved me to tears… for her and for all we’ve lost these past few years, but will regain…love and grace are greater than all…
For all her amazing songs and performances, that will be my favorite, knowing what it meant to her and so many people.
My BFF played Aretha nonstop all through our college years and I am so grateful that she made me a superfan. I was a fan when I was in high school but in college I learned the Queen’s entire discography. There will never be another like her. She was The Best.
Aretha is performing an amazing concert right now on the other side.
Lawd…have mercy…
My Mama took me to see her in concert…in 1977…I was 10 and it was the tour supporting the soundtrack from the movie “Sparkle”…I remember seeing her on the stage of the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago…everything dark, with one spotlight on her…and she was dressed in ALL white…white turban…long white dress…white shoes…beautiful white mink stole…
It was magical! She and Gladys Knight…they were like honorary Aunties for me…cause their music was EVERYWHERE in my childhood…ALL THE TIME…
Sigh….
Lawd…have mercy….
I had the privilege of seeing her live in concert a couple of years ago. She was incredible, funny, inspiring, and had the audience on their feet.
Respect to an icon and one of the most influential singers in American history. Amazing life, and not an easy one, but she prevailed. Queen.
I was absolutely devastated upon hearing of Miss Aretha’s transition. Although we knew of her pending death, the finality of it all really hit me. I have vivid memories of my mama playing her albums on our component set during the 70 and it feels as if a huge chunk of my childhood is gone. It really feels like the death of one of my aunties and I am in tears. I am glad that her legacy will live on in her extensive and awesome music catalog. Rest in Peace Queen Aretha!
When you hit
the center
of a note, spin
through and off
the bell lip
into heaven,
the soul dies
for an instant –
but you don’t need
its thin
resistance
nor the room
(piano shawl,
mirror, hyacinth)
dissolving
as one note
pours into
the next, pebbles
clean as moonspill
seeding a path . . .
and which is it,
body or mind,
which rises, which
gives up at last
and goes home?
~Rita Dove, Soprano, 1998
A bit of trivia that will soon be legendary; today is the anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. So the Queen died on the same day as the King.
Not to mention she has totally overshadowed Madonna)…Aretha, the one true DIVA 😉! The rest are pretenders.
RIP to an extraordinarily talent.
Ahahah LOL!
My favorite Aretha albums are the two she did for Columbia. I bought them in 1962 and still have them. If you haven’t heard them, check them out, they’re great.
Also, check out her version of Nessum Dorma. She subbed for Pavarotti at the Grammys when he fell ill. Brought tears to my eyes.
R E S P E C T to the queen. What a voice, what a voice – RIP Queen, there will never be another voice like her. I have been listening to her records all morning.
🙏 thank you
Fittingly it is a gray day here in Detroit.
From singing at MLK’s funeral to Obama’s inauguration, the history of her life along with the talent will never be replicated.
You are, no doubt, singing with the angels now, Miss Aretha. Thank you for your music and sharing your amazing gifts. RIP. Legend.
I honestly thought people were jumping the gun with their condolences earlier this week, and now the clip with her at Obama’s graduation just hit me how much we as a nation truly have lost. (politics included)
R.E.S.P.E.C.T Queen!
RIP, Aretha.
My favorite memory of her is when she did that diva concert with Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, and maybe a few others. The only thing I really remember was Celine trying her HARDEST to out-sing Aretha. I mean, flailing hard and even the other singers looked at her like, “Bitch, noooooo” , and then Aretha handed her her ass. It was glorious.
Pancreatic cancer is absolutely awful disease. I hope wherever she is that she’s at peace and content with the legacy she left behind.
Peace and blessings to you, Aretha. I will miss that breathtaking voice of yours and your majestic presence.
She was such an incredible singer. Her version of RESPECT was such a powerful force. When I heard it as a child, it stood out because she sounded like such a strong woman, not trying to be dainty and coy. She will be missed, but thankfully she left a lot of incredible amount of music for us to enjoy.
RIP Aretha.
She was at least fortunate to be able to go out on her own terms at home.
Fresh Air replayed their 1999 interview with Aretha, recorded shortly after her autobio came out. It is so good. Please, listen.
Jerusha, I listened to it. I was struck by Aretha’s matter of fact manner. A truly great person and talent who had no airs. Imagine that.
Ms. Franklin provided the “soundtrack” to so many of our lives. Think about how empty our lives would have been without her and be thankful she was there to sing to us and teach us through her music. She shared her voice and soul and passion with us. Her presence will be missed by many but her music will last forever.
Fox News put up a photo and have audio of Patti singing, they believes she is Aretha. I guess we really all look alike, lol.
OMG, no. I don’t watch Fox and you just made my point why. Morons and lazy idiots.
FFS. I knew they were terrible, but WOW, that is so awful.
RESPECT.
Hats off.
Rest in peace. See you. 😘
Aretha, an American princess who grew up to be our queen.
What a life! She grew up in the civil rights movement, from Martin Luther King to every jazz musician and gospel singer in the nation, everybody in American culture stopped by her childhood home, where she started performing as a toddler. She spent her entire life in public, stone representing her culture, her people, her faith, and her family; she embodied her incredible father’s leadership, love of life, and revolutionary consciousness and took it to a whole nother level.
In her fondest dreams Elizabeth II would have had an heir the likes of Rev. Franklin’s Aretha.
The Queen is dead. Long Live the Queen.