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Queen of Soul gravely ill
Queen of Soul is hospitalized this morning, her by family by her side.
Aretha Franklin's family has is gravely ill, her family asked for prayers and privacy, Roger Friedman Showbiz 411 first announced in his exclusive report this morning.
In 2010, Aretha was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her illness now is not know at this time to the public.
Focusing on her life, through the years, there are many tributes to Aretha. Below are just two, the first 2011 in Rolling Stone, followed by Billboard's in 2017.
Rolling Stone Tribute May 2011 Tribute to Aretha Franklin
Recently ill, Aretha Franklin didn't attend the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in person. But she was certainly there in spirit, as the show opened with an incredible musical "get-well card" to the Queen of Soul. The five performers kicked off their Aretha mini-set with a full-cast run-through of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," with Aguilera hitting some impressively stratospheric high notes. The women then broke off for individual spotlight songs, a highlight of which was Hudson's appropriately sassy take on "Respect." Hudson returned to the Grammy stage the following year to deliver a considerably more somber tribute, singing an emotional "I Will Always Love You" for Whitney Houston just one day after the singer was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where she had been scheduled to attend a pre-Grammy bash.
Sarah Dash, Rodney Crowell, CeeLo Green, Melissa Etheridge and Corey Glover perform at The Music Of Aretha Franklin show at Carnegie Hall on March 6, 2017 in New York City.
The Queen of Soul wasn’t in attendance, but Aretha Franklin would have certainly been thrilled by the musical tribute paid her at Carnegie Hall on Monday night (March 6). Featuring a roster of estimable musicians performing songs recorded by the 74-year-old singer, who has recently announced her upcoming retirement, The Music of Aretha Franklin shook the rafters of the venerable auditorium.
The evening marked the 14th in a series of benefit tribute concerts produced by Michael Dorf, who introduced the show with an appreciation of its honoree. Dorf noted that a teenage Franklin had been persuaded by Sam Cooke to drop out of school to pursue her musical career, which he admitted was “kind of ironic for an evening supporting musical education.” He announced that the show’s net proceeds of approximately $100,000 would be donated to such organizations as Grammy in the Schools, The Center for Arts Education, and the D’Addario Foundation.
Billboard Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, has said she plans to hang up the mic later this year. 2/2017
Franklin told the Detroit TV station WDIV Local 4 that she planned to record an album for release in September before retiring. “I must tell you, I am retiring this year,” said Franklin, who was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Aretha Franklin sings the National Anthem prior to the start of the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings game at Ford Field on Nov. 24, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan.
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Her new album will feature production by Stevie Wonder, and will be an ode to Detroit. It'll be composed of original works and recorded in the Motor City.
"I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from and where it is now,” Franklin said. “I’ll be pretty much satisfied, but I’m not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing. That wouldn’t be good either.”
There is a caveat; the legendary artist will remain open to "some select things, many one a month, for six months out of the year."
Franklin, who turns 75 this year, has battled with health problems in recent times.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7685317/aretha-franklin-will-retire-this-year-after-album-release