There are reports that singer Aretha Franklin is gravely ill and her friends and family have rushed to her bedside in Detroit.

The singer’s last performance was on 2nd November 2017 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York. Her final public performance was at Philadelphia’s Mann Center in August last year.

The 76 year old ‘Queen of Soul’ had reportedly been battling an undisclosed illness for several years. She had previously announced that she would stop performing live.

The singers career began in the 1960’s and she has had hit records in every decade since. Her most recent original recording was 2014’s Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics which saw her delivering versions of songs from Adele, Alicia Keyes, Gloria Gaynor and The Supremes.

Last year a new album was released which saw archival recordings of the singer mixed with new backing from a symphony orchestra.

In 2014 Aretha Franklin delivered a memorable performance at the Kennedy Centre Honours when they recognised the work on songwriter and performer Carole King.

OIP Staff