Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul, has passed away at the age of 76.
Her family said in a statement, ‘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.’
‘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.’
Aretha has had over 77 Hot 100 chart entries and earned an astounding 18 Grammys out of 44 nominations.
In 1987, two decades after her first No. 1, Franklin became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and was later named the Greatest Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone.
Many have taken to Twitter to mourn her death, including Paul McCartney and Michelle Obama.
Our thoughts go out to Franklin’s family and friends.
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