Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, died today at the age of 76.
“Aretha Franklin possessed one of the most distinctive and influential voices in the history of popular music,” BBC News writes. “In a 50-year recording career, she racked up 20 Top 10 albums, a dozen million-selling singles and earned no fewer than 18 Grammy awards. An artist of immense versatility, her powerful voice, trained in the gospel tradition, moved on to embrace jazz, soul and rhythm and blues. The influential Rolling Stone magazine rated her as the greatest singer of all time.”
World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, fellow artists, including Paul McCartney, and business leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, mourned her death:
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is dead. She was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God, her voice. She will be missed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018
Let’s all take a moment to give thanks for the beautiful life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many many years. She will be missed but the memory of her greatness as a musician and a fine human being will live with us forever. Love Paul pic.twitter.com/jW4Gpwfdts
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) August 16, 2018
We mourn the passing of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Her voice will keep lifting us, through the music she gave the world. Our thoughts are with her family, her loved ones and fans everywhere. Take her hand, precious Lord, and lead her home. 🎶 pic.twitter.com/I84HTEVZU1
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 16, 2018
Read more in The New York Times obiturary for Aretha Franklin here.
MacDailyNews Take: At the 1998 Grammy Awards, Franklin substituted at the last minute for the ailing Luciano Pavarotti by singing “Nessun dorma.”
R.I.P., Aretha, the Queen of Soul. pic.twitter.com/ZweBSVErMr
— MacDailyNews (@MacDailyNews) August 16, 2018
