Posted on 08/16/2018 7:11:03 AM PDT by EdnaMode
Aretha Franklin, the iconic singer who changed the face of rock and roll, soul and R&B, died Thursday at her home in Detroit, her publicist said. She was 76.
Ms. Franklin had been battling cancer for the past several years. Her health issues forced her to cancel concert engagements periodically, including one in New Jersey in March, followed by her April date at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In 2017, she formally announced her retirement, with the caveat that select concert dates were possible.
Though Ms. Franklin made her home in Detroit, she was extremely fond of Chicago and often played our town, including frequent concerts at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park.
“Every performance she gave here was out of this world,” said Ravinia president and CEO Welz Kauffman. “People would quibble that in her later years perhaps her vocals were not what they once were, but the sheer grandeur of her vocal prowess was unlike anything we will ever see again. When she took off that white fur coat [a stage staple favored by Franklin in recent years] and sat down at the piano, it was like going to church. It was a very gospel-focused, very ‘God for all of us’ moment — a unifying moment for all of us. It was just heaven.”
(Excerpt) Read more at chicago.suntimes.com ...
She truly was and IS the Queen of Soul.
RIP.
She fought a valiant battle with class and dignity.
RIP.
Bummer. She had the white kids swinging’ and shaking’ in embarrassment.
She brought RESPECT to a struggling Detroit.
God must be pleased to have His angel back in His choir. I’m so glad He loaned her to us awhile, she is the background music for many of our lives.
Too bad...she was outstanding! But it’s not really unexpected.Being that much overweight for so many years would take its toll. I’ve never been as overweight as her but I’m suffering some nasty consequences nevertheless.
She don't remember the Queen of Soul
“I’m so glad He loaned her to us awhile”
Yes, she was a treasure both as a person and a singer. I just hope she has a chance to “get together” with Ray Charles.
RIP to an artist of tremendous voice, style and stage presence.
Detroit wasn’t struggling in April 1967 when “Respect” came out. It was still prospering as it had ever since WWII.
But then that summer of 1967, Detroit was hit with the worst race riot of the 159 race riots that exploded all across the country, and you can mark Detroit’s decline from July of 1967.
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