Aretha Franklin – 76 (1942-2018)

Aretha Franklin is a name well-known in the music industry even today. She performed for people of different statures throughout her career, from the humble residents of Detroit to presidents and royalties. That’s why the Queen of Soul’s passing in 2018 made international headlines though it did not come as a surprise.

In 2010, the American singer was hospitalized for undisclosed health problems, and she soon slowed things down with fewer performances. After talks of her retirement surfaced in 2017, Franklin sang in public for the last time during Elton John’s AIDS Foundation Gala. Less than a year later, the legendary artist’s journey ended due to pancreatic cancer.