Fans say goodbye to 'Queen of Soul'

DETROIT - Aretha Franklin, the music icon, legendary singer and "Queen of Soul" loved by millions whose history-making career spanned six decades, died at her Detroit home on Thursday. She was 76.

She influenced generations of female singers with unforgettable hits including Respect (1967), Natural Woman (1968) and I Say a Little Prayer (1968).

The multiple Grammy winner cemented her place in US music history with a powerful, bell-clear voice that stretched over four octaves. In a career crossing generations, her hits spanned from soul and R&B, to gospel and pop.

After a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Franklin passed away surrounded by her family and loved ones, her family said in a statement issued by her publicist.

The family thanked fans around the world for their "incredible outpouring of love" since it first emerged earlier this week that she was gravely ill.

Fans mourning the death of Franklin left balloons, flowers and mementos at Detroit's New Bethel Baptist Church, where as a child the star kicked off her storied career singing gospel.

Reverend Charles Turner described her passing as a "great loss", adding that the grief felt by mourners was akin to the loss of a parent.

In New York, fans came together at the landmark Apollo Theater to pay their respects to the Queen of Soul, singing along to her hits and sharing memories of her remarkable career.

"My heart feels empty," said Sheila Black, 51, outside the Apollo, not far from where she grew up in Harlem, as she recalled listening to Franklin's Another Night Without You to get over heartbreak. "Her music will live forever. I'm just so sad that we had to lose her."

And in California, similar tributes quickly amassed on Franklin's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 18-time Grammy Award winner inspired multiple singers during her five-decade career, from pop diva Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston, to Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and the late Amy Winehouse.

'National treasure'

In 1987, she became the first woman ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine put her at the top of its list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, male or female.

She performed at the inaugurations of presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, singing My Country, Tis of Thee at the investiture of the country's first African-American head of state.

In a heartfelt tribute from the Obamas, the former president and his wife Michelle praised Franklin's "unmatched musicianship", which they said "helped define the American experience".

US President Donald Trump called the singer "terrific", saying she "brought joy to millions of lives and her extraordinary legacy will thrive and inspire many generations to come".

Clinton and his wife, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, on Thursday hailed her as "one of America's greatest national treasures".

AFP - Reuters - AP

(China Daily 08/18/2018 page9)