Aretha Franklin, the undisputed “Queen of Soul” who sang with matchless style on such classics as “Think,” ”I Say a Little Prayer” and her signature song, “Respect,” and stood as a cultural icon around the globe, has died at age 76 from advanced pancreatic cancer.
Rest in Peace Queen Aretha!
thanks
I was so sorry to hear about her death. A fellow employee showed me the death notice as we were sitting in a meeting. It was a stunning blow to me because I have listened to Aretha’s music since I was child. Her funeral was show live on Bounce TV and it was a wonderful show of love and respect to the true Queen of Soul.
Aretha’s music legacy will live on throughout future generations.
RIP
The media over here aren’t even mentioning I Say A Little Prayer when citing songs she made ‘her own’. It’s all Respect and Natural Woman on the UK news…sorry but Aretha was amazing and did a great cover of Natural Woman but it’s not one ‘she made her own’. It will always be a Carole King standard.
She truly was a queen, sheer music royalty. There will never be another like her. RIP.
What a voice, what a legacy. Her music lited all of us higher. RESPECT.
Queen, she is indeed!
First what comes to my mind is the legendary performance of Think in the Blues Brothers movie! Pure soul power. I know her mostly thru her hit singles, which always were a party booster in the clubs I played. She just had that unique, unmistakable recognisable, mighty soul voice. Just a few months back I was checkin’ out some of her older albums and best of compilations for the first time. Whoah! So many fantastic songs and cover versions! Thru her songs, The Queen of Soul will live forever…
“Each Time I go to be I pray like Aretha Franklin.”
bed
RIP Aretha, you will be missed.
So many songs I love of hers, I can’t begin to list.
One duet that stands out also is her duet with Annie Lennox.
Eurythmics “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”
I’m so sad about this. Aretha’s 70s songs, in particular, guided me through life starting in the late 80s to such a degree that it’s like they ARE me at this point.
One of the 5 best singers ever, and an icon of blackness and womanhood.
Rest in peace, Queen.
Hi Paul,
What a greatloss, I have virtually everything she ever sang..
Glad to have lived through such a great singers era..
🙂
R.I.P Queen
gonna be day of listenin to
Aretha Franklin – Unforgettable. A Tribute to Dinah Washington . #classic
This is going to be some heavenly duet. The Queen of Soul and the King of Rock’n’Roll both dying on Aug 16. I distinctly remember my mum and me being in the kitchen, talking, when the radio guy passed the news that Elvis had died. I was nine back then and probably not too moved by the news. But I remember my mom exclaiming, “Whaaat? Oh no!“
I’m getting goosebumps right now.
THE QUEEN OF SOUL FOREVER!
Our lives are full of particular soundtracks, everyone has his own very personal, but I think all or at least in almost all is included Aretha Franklin, we will miss her a lot.
Beautiful melodies of THE QUEEN OF SOUL resonate in my mind, my childhood was enlivened by a lot of soul music, of course Aretha in a very special place.
Goodbye dear queen.
Another legend lost but at least she didn’t die in her 50s or 60s like so many we’ve lost the past few years. She had almost 300 singles released. 300! Think of all the tracks on her 50+ albums that were never released. Averaging it out, she released about 1 album every year starting when she was 19! I honestly only know about 15 Aretha songs but these stats are incredible. If you get a chance, check out the One Rascal Mix of Respect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmqFtMHC6uk It was done by 1/2 of The Latin Rascals (Albert Cabrera) on this compilation: https://www.discogs.com/Various-Everybody-Dance-Remixed-Dance-Classics/release/3912790… Read more »
Another legend lost but at least she didn’t die in her 50s or 60s like so many we’ve lost the past few years. She had almost 300 singles released. 300! Think of all the tracks on her 50+ albums that were never released. Averaging it out, she released about 1 album every year starting when she was 19! I honestly only know about 15 Aretha songs but these stats are incredible. If you get a chance, check out the One Rascal Mix of Respect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmqFtMHC6uk It was done by 1/2 of The Latin Rascals (Albert Cabrera) on this compilation: https://www.discogs.com/Various-Everybody-Dance-Remixed-Dance-Classics/release/3912790… Read more »
I almost forgot about this remix of “Respect” by Albert Cabrera. I really enjoyed it, so thank you Fred. Another cool mix featuring Miss Franklin is on the compilation DJ Skribble & Anthony Acid – MDMA – Music 4 Dance Music 4 Attitude Vol. 1. Entitled “Freedom” it samples her “Think” tune and transforms it into a club banger. It’s by Anthony Acid / Richie Santana & DJ Skribble. I could never find a twelve inch to this track, but the compilation is so worth seeking out for a tripped-out progressive house mix.
Jeff
I was still at work (4.37 pm over here) when I received the message that you posted something about Aretha Franklin, Paul. And my heart stopped because this could only mean she had passed away. I had to sit down. Another great great star gone. What a loss, again.
I guess we are all in agreement that there has to be an Aretha week in the near future 🙂
Rest in peace, Queen of Soul. You will be missed.
Just before I read your post Paul, I saw the news about Aretha Franklin. So sad. Nobody was quite like Miss Franklin!! She will certainly be missed. Just read a wonderful quote from Barack Obama about her legacy that he made in 2016: “Nobody embodies more fully the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R. & B., rock and roll — the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. American history wells up when Aretha sings. That’s why, when she sits down at a piano and sings ‘A Natural Woman,’… Read more »
Her unforgettable performance on the Blues Brothers will live forever.
This calls for “Sing like Aretha Franklin” single by Scritti Politti.
RIP Aretha Franklin. 🙁
Prey
Yeah your Right, sorry my bad.
I was listing to “The Chauffeur” by Duran Duran while commenting and I accidentally enter Sing blue silver…;-)
Such sad news, another legend gone 🙁