The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is reportedly “gravely ill” in Detroit, MI, surrounded by family and friends who are asking for prayers and privacy.
The news broke via Detroit news anchor and family friend Evrod Cassimy through Showbiz 411 last night, who added:
Aretha is surrounded by family and people close to her. She will be so missed as a mother, sister, friend, cousin. But her legacy is larger than life. It’s not just that Rolling Stone called her the number 1 singer of all time, or that she is the Queen of Soul. Long live the Queen.
Cassimy continued on Twitter this morning, “I spoke with her family members this morning. She is asking for your prayers at this time. I’ll have more details as I’m allowed to release.”
In addition, this morning, radio host Tom Joyner—a close friend of Aretha—announced that she has been in hospice care for a week, according to The Detroit News.
In 2010, Aretha Franklin was diagnosed with cancer. The “Respect”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “Spanish Harlem” and “Think” singer/songwriter continued to work through it as much as she could, before officially announcing her retirement in February of 2017. The 76-year-old legend performed her last public performance at Philadelphia’s Mann Center in August of 2017, and her final performance was for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York in November of the same year.
Aretha Franklin – “I Say A Little Prayer”