Aretha Franklin, Queen Of Soul, Dies At 76

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - The 'Queen of Soul' has died.

Aretha Franklin passed away Thursday morning at her home in Detroit, her publicist told The Associated Press.

Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn said through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit. The statement said "Franklin's official cause of death was due to advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute" in Detroit.

The family added: "In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds."

The statement continued:

"We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."

Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.

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Franklin, who had battled undisclosed health issues in recent years, had in 2017 announced her retirement from touring.

The daughter of a Michigan minister, Franklin began singing gospel as a child at New Bethel Baptist Church, in Detroit. Her early gospel recordings included 'Precious Love," in 1959, a style which would influence her throughout her career.

In the 1960s, Franklin crossed over to R&B and soon became a household name with chart-topping hits like "Respect," in 1967 and "Chain of Fools," the very same same year. Her career would span seven decades with more than 750 million albums sold worldwide.

Rolling Stone named Franklin the, "Number 1 Greatest Singer of All Time." The magazine said, "Aretha is a gift from God. When it comes to expressing yourself through song, there is no one who can touch her. She is the reason why women want to sing."

Franklin's last public performance was in November for Elton John's AIDS Foundation Fall Gala.

Her 2015 Bay Area appearance at the Oracle Arena in Oakland was named the 'Bay Area's Top Concert' by the Mercury News. Known for her fear of flying, that was Franklin's first concert in Oakland since the 1950's. She brought down the house when she closed her show with "Respect."

"I just want to say what a treat it's been for me to come back to Oakland after all these years," she told the audience, according to the Mercury News.

SLIDESHOW: ARETHA FRANKLIN 'QUEEN OF SOUL'

News of the severity of the singer's condition made headlines on Monday, and set off an avalanche of sympathy and well-wishes on social media from her fans.

Celebrities like Mariah Carey and Missy Elliot tweeted they were praying for her.

Franklin was 76.

CBSSF.com writer, producer Jan Mabry is also executive producer Bay Sunday, Black Renaissance and host of The Bronze Report. She lives in Northern California. Follow her on Twitter @janmabr.

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