VIDEO: Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin Loses Her Battle with Cancer, Passes Away at Age 76

starting with "Respect" in 1968, Franklin won 18 Grammy awards

ABOVE VIDEO: Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul” whose recordings of such classics as “Respect” and “Chain of Fools” made her the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died Thursday of advanced pancreatic cancer. She was 76.

(FOX NEWS) – Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul” whose recordings of such classics as “Respect” and “Chain of Fools” made her the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died Thursday of advanced pancreatic cancer. She was 76.

Franklin died at her Detroit home at 9:50 a.m.

“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,” the singer’s family said in a statement to the Associated Press.

“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 family added: “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.”

ABOVE VIDEO: The original version of Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit, ‘Respect.’

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