‘THE QUEEN OF SOUL’
Tributes to Aretha Franklin:
Stars of the entertainment world have praised the “simply peerless” Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin for her impact on music following her death aged 76.
The singer died at her home in Detroit, Michigan on August 16 following a battle with cancer, her publicist said.
Former US president Barack Obama has said that Franklin graced people “with a glimpse of the divine” whenever she sang.
Mr Obama and his wife Michelle said in a statement that Franklin, who performed at his first inauguration in 2009, “helped define the American experience” through her “compositions and unmatched musicianship”.
“In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade - our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect,” the Obamas added.
“She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance.
“Aretha may have passed on to a better place, but the gift of her music remains to inspire us all. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. Michelle and I send our prayers and warmest sympathies to her family and all those moved by her song.”
President Donald Trump said that Franklin “was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God”.
Dozens of stars across the worlds of music and entertainment paid tribute to Franklin, including Mariah Carey, who thanked her as “my inspiration, my mentor and my friend”.
She tweeted: “Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul. The Icon. The ultimate singers’ singer. The greatest singer and musician of my lifetime. The power of your voice in music and in civil rights blew open the door for me and so many others.”
American TV star and actress Oprah Winfrey simply wrote: “We’ll miss you Queen. £ArethaQueenForever.”
Music star Adele said she was “abso
lutely heartbroken” by Franklin’s death.
Posting on Instagram, she said: “I can’t remember a day of my life without Aretha Franklin’s voice and music filling up my heart with so much joy and sadness. Absolutely heartbroken she’s gone, what a woman. Thank you for everything, the melodies and the movements.”
Sir Elton John, who was present for Franklin’s last ever performance, called her death a “blow for everybody who loves real music: Music from the heart, the soul and the Church”.
He added, on Instagram: “Her voice was unique, her piano playing underrated, she was one of my favourite pianists. I was fortunate enough to spend time with her and witness her last performance - a benefit for the Elton John Aids Foundation at St John The Divine Cathedral.
“She was obviously unwell, and I wasn’t sure she could perform. But Aretha did and she raised the roof. She sang and played magnificently, and we all wept. We were witnessing the greatest soul artist of all time. I adored her and worshipped her talent. God bless her.”
Her friend, record producer Quincy Jones, wrote on Twitter: “From the time that Dinah Washington 1st told me that Aretha was the ‘next one’ when she was 12-years old, until the present day, Aretha Franklin set the bar & she did it with the professionalism, class, grace, & humility that only a true Queen could...
“I treasured every moment that we spent together from working in the recording studio, to performing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or simply hangin’ in the kitchen, & I will miss her dearly. RIP Ree-Ree... You will reign as the Queen forever.”
Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney asked for fans to take a moment to “give thanks to the beautiful life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of our souls, who inspired us”.