Obit
Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul Who Spelled ‘Respect,’ Dies at 76
- Her blend of gospel, blues and jazz earned 18 Grammy Awards
- Sang at Martin Luther King’s funeral, Obama’s inauguration
Aretha Franklin, the former gospel singer who went on to reign over the music industry as the Queen of Soul with hit songs such as “Respect,” “Chain of Fools” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” has died. She was 76.
Franklin died Thursday of pancreatic cancer at her home in Detroit, according to the Associated Press. In March, Franklin canceled a scheduled tour for medical reasons. Her last known performance was in November at Elton John’s annual AIDS Foundation gala.