Aretha Franklin Reported To Be 'Gravely Ill'

Aretha Franklin

Several news media outlets, including The Chicago Sun-Times, were reporting late Sunday night that iconic soul singer Aretha Franklin is “gravely ill” and hospitalized in Detroit.

The Queen of Soul cancelled several concerts this year citing health issues. In March, the 76-year-old canceled a birthday concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey. She followed up in April with a canceled scheduled appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Last year, after postponing a June concert at Ravinia due to health issues, Franklin returned in September for what one newspaper report called a “dazzling” performance.

In 2017, Franklin announced she was retiring from full-on touring and public performances, preferring instead to do select dates.



The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has 18 Grammy Awards to her credit, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award and Grammy Legend Award, and has sold more than 75 million records. Her biggest hits include “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Think,” “Pink Cadillac,” and “I Say a Little Prayer for You.”  Her most recent album is the 2016 critically acclaimed “Divas,” which featured several tracks produced by Stevie Wonder. An upcoming compilation, “The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967-1970,” a 34-song survey chronicling her early years at the label, is due out in September.

Born in Memphis, Tenn., Franklin was raised in Detroit and has made her home in the suburb of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, since the 1980s.