Legendary singer Aretha Franklin passed away aged 76.
Diagnosed with cancer in 2010, ‘The Queen of Soul’ is without doubt one of the greatest performers the world has ever known. Her ability to move people with her voice has won her 18 Grammy awards among many other accolades.
The career that spanned seven decades saw the “Respect” star sing at three presidential inaugurations and sell more than 80 million records worldwide.
Barack Obama once said that no other musician “embodies the connection between the African-American spiritual, the blues, R&B, rock and roll – the way that hardship and sorrow were transformed into something full of beauty and vitality and hope. American history wells up when Aretha sings.”
Not only did Franklin make an impact with her unique voice and iconic songs, she was also outspoken about the industry and her personal life. Below we pick some of her most inspiring quotes.
“Everybody wants respect,” she said to Rolling Stone in 2014. “In their own way, three-year-olds would like respect, and acknowledgment, in their terms.”
“It’s the rough side of the mountain that’s the easiest to climb; the smooth side doesn’t have anything for you to hang on to,” she told Ebony in 1964.
“We can all learn a little something from each other, so whatever people can take and be inspired by where my music is concerned is great,” Franklin told Time in 2017.
“Trying to grow up is hurting. You make mistakes. You try to learn from them, and when you don’t, it hurts even more.”
“Sometimes, what you’re looking for is already there.”
“I will always be singing somewhere.”
The funeral for Aretha Franklin will be held August 31 in Detroit, according to the singer’s publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn.
