Aretha Franklin, Legendary `Queen of Soul,` Dies at Age 76
(WorldNews Music)

Aretha Franklin, whose legendary voice inaugurated her enduring reign as the Queen of Soul, died at 76, the Associated Press reports. The legend had been battling pancreatic cancer. During a career spanning six decades, Franklin’s soaring, gospel-nurtured mezzo-soprano became the benchmark by which soulful singing is still measured. Equally at home singing jazz, blues and classical, the versatile 18-time Grammy Award winner influenced a host of next-generation artists ranging from Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill to Beyonc