Aretha Franklin, the unequivocal Queen of Soul, died on Thursday, August 16, 2018 at her home in Detroit. She passed from advanced pancreatic cancer, according to her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn. She was 76 years old.

Franklin was the most influential female soul singer of the 1960s, blending sexy R&B, the emotion of jazz, and the energy of pop music all through the filter of her gospel music upbringing.

With a Baptist preacher father and gospel singing mother, spirituality dominated Franklin’s youth. Born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, her parents separated by the time she was six years old and her mother died following a heart attack.

Franklin’s self-taught musical talents manifested at an early age. She was a gifted pianist with an incredible singing voice, which she utilized at her father’s church, along with her sisters. Recognizing the young teen’s talent, Berry Gordy Jr. tried to sign Franklin to the Motown label in the 1950s, but her father refused to let her.

Though he didn’t want her to record professionally, Franklin did perform with her father’s traveling revival show. On tour Franklin got pregnant when she was just 15 years old, then had her second child two years later.

With her father’s approval she traveled to New York in 1960. A few record companies were interested in signing her and Franklin decided on Columbia Records. The Great Aretha Franklin was released the same year. Her R&B hits included “Today I Sing the Blues,” which reached No. 10 on the charts, “Won’t Be Long” (No. 7), and “Operation Heartbreak” (No. 6). Though she had a few Top 10 singles in R&B, the songs did not utilize the power of her voice the way gospel music did.

In 1966, she and Ted White, her husband and manager, decided to switch to Atlantic Records. At this point she recorded “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You),” which became a Top 10 hit.

Through 1967 and ’68 Franklin was incredibly successful, releasing several songs that would become classics. She went back to New York and completed recording the single “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.” The album I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) was released, featuring a little song called “Respect.” Her sassy, energy-filled cover of the Otis Redding song reached No. 1 on pop and R&B charts, and it picked up two Grammys.

Other Top 10 hits of the period were “Baby I Love You,” “Think,” “Chain of Fools,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.” She recorded songs by other artists like Carole King and Gerry Goffin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”

By 1968 she was known as Lady Soul and had become a symbol of black pride. She was on the cover of Time, which included an interview that would be the only major one she did for years. That year she sang “Precious Lord” at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral and sang at the Democratic Convention.

Franklin and White got divorced in 1969. The pair had one son, Teddy Jr., who ended up playing guitar in her band during the 1980s.

Franklin’s success continued in the 1970s. Hits in the early part of the decade included “Don’t Play that Song,” the powerful, gospel infused “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and “Spanish Harlem” – all three of which were No. 1 on the R&B charts. She recorded the gospel album Amazing Grace in 1972, which sold two million copies and became the bestselling gospel album at the time. At this point she also had her fourth son.

It was during this time that she was crowned the Queen of Soul. Franklin won eight consecutive Grammys for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance from 1968 to 1975, for songs like “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.” Her concerts became extravagant and highly entertaining, including some distinctive costumes and electrifying performances.

Despite a strong start to the decade, her popularity waned during the mid-’70s when disco became the mainstream music of choice. Her sales did bounce back some with the 1976 soundtrack for Sparkle and following her performance at the 1977 presidential inauguration. In 1978 she married actor Glynn Turman.

Her cameo in the 1980 film, The Blues Brothers, including a performance of “Think” with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi introduced her to a new crop of R&B fans. In 1981, she released Love All the Hurt Away, featuring the title track duet with George Benson, which reached No. 6 on R&B charts and “Hold On, I’m Comin’” which earned a Grammy. A year later she released Jump To It, to impressive success on R&B charts and a Grammy nomination. Then in 1984 she faced another bout of difficult times when her father died and she divorced Turman.

Franklin released a big hit with Who’s Zoomin’ Who? in 1985. The pop record included the energetic “Freeway of Love,” the empowering “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” with the Eurythmics, and the title track. It was her highest selling album to date and went Platinum.

Aretha was released a year later, anchored by “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” a duet with George Michael, which hit No. 1 on pop charts. “Jimmy Lee” reached No. 2 on R&B charts and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was produced by, and featured, Keith Richards. The album went gold.

Awards, accolades, and more memorable performances followed. In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She sang “I Dreamed a Dream” at the 1993 inauguration of President Bill Clinton and in 1994 she won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Franklin didn’t lose any steam in the 2000s. She reprised her role as Mrs. Murphy for Blues Brothers 2000 and worked with the White House Millennium Council to include “Respect” in a time capsule to preserve cultural achievements for the future. She released So Damn Happy, her final studio album with Arista, in 2003. Two years later President Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and she became the second woman to be inducted in the U.K. Music Hall of Fame. She won her 18th Grammy for “Never Gonna Break My Faith” a collaboration with Mary J. Blige in 2008. She sang at the inauguration of President Barack Obama a year later.

Aretha Franklin is one of the most popular, talented performers of her generation. With 18 Grammys she is one of the most highly awarded musicians in Grammy history. In 2004, she was ranked ninth on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and in 2008 she was ranked first on the list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. The Queen of Soul reigned.