Aug 16, 2018

Soul icon Aretha Franklin dies at 76

Soul singer Aretha Franklin performing at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 1994. Photo: Leon Morris/Getty Images

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, who fell gravely ill in recent days, died Thursday at her home in Detroit, Michigan, after battling advanced pancreatic cancer, her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, told the New York Times.

Franklin, 76, was considered one of the greatest musical legends of all time, and is known for hits such as “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and "Respect." She had canceled planned concerts earlier this year due to "doctor's orders," The Detroit Free Press reports.

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