Aretha Franklin Dead at 76 — Her 5 Best TV Performances (VIDEO)
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, has died at the age of 76 after battling advanced pancreatic cancer.
She passed away Thursday mornning in her home in Detroit with family and friends surrounding her. The family has released 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.
“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,” the statement added.
Franklin’s longtime publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, also confirmed the details of Franklin’s death. She wrote: “It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the passing of Aretha Louise Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Franklin, 76 years old, passed away on Thursday morning, August 16 at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit, MI, surrounded by family and loved ones. Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s Oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI.”
The singer was known as one of the greatest voices in music history with hits like “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” She told more than 75 million records worldwide and won dozens of awards.
Her awards lists includes 18 Grammys, 3 American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the first woman to be inducted in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, honored at the Kennedy Center, and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush.
She also made a few TV appearance during her long career. Check them out below:
Murphy Brown — Season 4, Episode 9 (1991)
Dancing With The Stars — Season 7, Week 9 (2008)
President Obama’s Inauguration (2009)
Kennedy Center Honors (2015)
Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings NFL Game (2016)
Plus, she also made an appearance on Deal or No Deal in 2008 and multiple guest spots on late-night and daytime talk shows, such as The View, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night With Jay Leno/ Jimmy Fallon, and the Today show.
