Summary

  • Aretha Franklin - known as the "Queen of Soul" - has died in Detroit at the age of 76

  • The legendary singer was diagnosed with cancer in 2010

  • Franklin had more than 100 charting singles over a career spanning seven decades

  • Tributes have been pouring in from the music world and beyond

  • Her family called her death "one of the darkest moments of our lives"

Live Reporting

Kelly-Leigh Cooper, Flora Drury and Paul Gribben

  1. Franklin's family 'deeply touched' by tributes

    Aretha Franklin opens at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., June 13, 1969.Reuters

    Aretha Franklin performing in 1969

    Aretha Franklin's family have said today marks "one of the darkest moments of our lives".

    But, the singer's longtime publicist Gwendolyn Quinn said in a statement, they had been deeply touched by the outpouring of support from around the world:

    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."

  2. President Trump: 'She will be missed!"

    US President Donald Trump shared his tribute to the Queen of Soul, calling her voice a "wonderful gift from God".

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  3. Lenny Kravitz: 'She means so much to me'

    American singer Lenny Kravitz shared a black-and-white photograph of the pair together:

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    The pair took the stage together in 2009 to perform at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert.

    "It was beyond just to be next to her," he told USA Today earlier this week.

    "She means so much to me and was such an influence on me with my music.

    "I learned so much from her, and we became friendly during that time. We would talk on the phone after that and talk about doing some things together," he said.

  4. Aretha performing at Obama's inauguration

    A video of Aretha Franklin performing at former President Barack Obama's inauguration is being widely shared on Twitter:

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  5. Mick Jagger: 'Aretha was so inspiring'

    Sir Mick Jagger released a short statement after the announcement of Aretha Franklin's death:

    Very sad to hear the news about Aretha, she was so inspiring and wherever you were she always brought you to church."

  6. Tom Jones shares duet

    Welsh artist Tom Jones shared a throwback video of the pair performing The Party's Over together on a television special together in 1970.

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  7. British artists pay tribute

    A host of UK musicians have been paying tribute to Aretha Franklin, including Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Take That's Gary Barlow:

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  8. Jesse Jackson: 'All hail to the Queen!"

    US civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson, who visited the gravely ill Franklin at her Detroit home on Tuesday, paid tribute to her on Twitter.

    "A lot of music left the earth today. The Heavens rejoice. Rest in heavenly peace. #ArethaFranklin#ISayALittlePrayer," one read.

    "All hail to the Queen!" read another.

    Singer Aretha Franklin (L) and Reverend Jesse Jackson (R) during the 2017 Detroit Music Weekend on June 9, 2017 iGetty Images

    The pair had a long history together. Rev Jackson told US media that the soul-artist helped the civil rights movement "make payroll" several times while Martin Luther King was alive.

    "She did 11 concerts for free and hosted us at her home and did a fundraiser for my campaign. Aretha has always been a very socially conscious artist, an inspiration, not just an entertainer," he told the Detroit Free Press.

  9. Diana Ross: 'The wonderful golden spirit'

    Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin dominated the charts during the 60s and 70s.

    Today, Ross paid tribute to her fellow musical star:

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  10. Aretha Franklin: A life in song

    ArethaAFP

    Aretha Franklin possessed one of the most distinctive and influential voices in the history of popular music.

    In a 50-year recording career she racked up 20 Top 10 albums, a dozen million-selling singles and earned no fewer than 18 Grammy awards.

    An artist of immense versatility, her powerful voice, trained in the gospel tradition, moved on to embrace jazz, soul and rhythm and blues. The influential Rolling Stone magazine rated her as the greatest singer of all time.

  11. John Legend: 'Salute to the Queen'

    The Grammy Award-winning artist tweets:

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  12. Carole King: 'What a legacy'

    Carole King, who wrote Franklin's hit (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, has also taken to Twitter to pay her respects.

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    Franklin paid tribute to King by performing Natural Woman during a concert honouring the singer-songwriter's legacy three years ago.

    It was the same performance which made then-president Barack Obama wipe away a tear.

  13. Annie Lennox: 'Her voice will soar on forever'

    Annie Lennox collaborated with Franklin as part of the Eurythmics on the Grammy-nominated 1985 track Sisters are Doin' it for Themselves.

    After news of her death broke, Lennox paid tribute to the soul artist on Instagram, describing her as "peerless".

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    "Everyone who loved her will be saying little prayers of gratitude, respect and appreciation for the musical life force that enriched our lives. Her voice will soar forever," the post ended.

  14. Paul McCartney: 'Take a moment to give thanks'

    The Beatles legend tweets:

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  15. 'One of America's greatest national treasures'

    Former US President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton paid tribute to Aretha Franklin in a statement.

    In it they described her as a friend and "one of America's greatest national treasures".

    "She will forever be the Queen of Soul and so much more to all who knew her personally and through her music," they said.

    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 29 September, 1999Getty Images

    The pair awarding her the 1999 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award

    Hillary also payed tribute in a separate tweet.

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  16. Tributes pouring in from around the world

    Figures from across the globe are paying tribute online to the "queen of soul" Aretha Franklin, who has died at 76 in Detroit.

    In a statement, her family called her death "one of the darkest moments of our lives".

    Her last performance was in aid of Elton John's Aids Foundation in November. Paying tribute to the singer, he said on Instagram that she fought illness to perform.

    "She sang and played magnificently, and we all wept. We were witnessing the greatest soul artist of all time."

    He said her loss was a "blow for everyone who loves real music".

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