Earlier this week, news broke that legendary singer Aretha Franklin was severely ill and was admitted to the hospital. And on Thursday, the singer died at age 76 at her Detroit home. Her official cause of death was pancreatic cancer as confirmed by her oncologist Dr Philip Philps of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. Popularly known as ‘Queen of Soul’, her powerful recording career spanned nearly 60 years. According to a source quoted in People magazine, she had been ill for a long time. She did not want people to know and she didn’t make it public. Singer Aretha Franklin The Queen Of Soul Dies At 76 Due To Pancreatic Cancer.

Franklin had cancelled two concerts earlier this year after her doctor ordered her to stay off the road and rest. The singer’s church in Detroit, the New Bethel Baptist Church held a prayer tribute for her Wednesday morning that drew over a 100 people. Tributes on Twitter immediately began pouring in for Franklin after news of her death. Her classic 60s and 70s sides sound-tracked the Civil Rights Movement, an object lesson in how a singer can embody and define her time. To pay a tribute the iconic singer, we have curated five songs that helped define the Queen of Soul’s career.

5 Iconic Songs of Aretha Franklin

1 Respect

2 A Natural Woman

Franklin performed the song at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015, electrifying the crowds which included former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. “American history wells up when Aretha sings,” said the former US president.

3 Think   

4 I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)

5 I Say a Little Prayer

The singer’s final performance was in November 2017, where she performed at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation Gala in New York. The singer has delivered unforgettable songs in her 60 years long career. Franklin died at 9:50 am at her Detroit home surrounded by family and friends, according to a statement on behalf of Franklin’s family from her long-time publicist Gwendolyn Quinn. Tributes and tears flooded in Thursday after news of her death broke.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2018 11:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).