The Queen of Soul definitely made her mark. John Legend, Barbra Streisand and more celebrities paid tribute to Aretha Franklin following her death on Thursday, August 16.
“Salute to the Queen,” Legend, 39, tweeted. “The greatest vocalist I’ve ever known. #Aretha.”
Streisand, 76, shared a pic of herself and Franklin on Twitter along with the caption: “This photo was taken in 2012 when Aretha & I performed at a tribute celebration for our friend Marvin Hamlisch. It’s difficult to conceive of a world without her. Not only was she a uniquely brilliant singer, but her commitment to civil rights made an indelible impact on the world.”
“One of the highlights of my career was singing with #ArethaFranklin at The Tony Awards,” Hugh Jackman tweeted. “It was an out of body experience for me. One of the greatest singers of all time. You will be missed by all.”
Kate Hudson posted a heartwarming message on her Instagram account. “Oh queen oh queen how I cry to see you go. Like so many others I share the sadness of this loss,” she wrote. “A true inspiration, a constant listen in my youth. I remember going deep into her B sides and live performances, always in awe of her ability. To discover the effortlessness of her gift, to take it in and experience the tones that shaped my love for singing. Her instrument like no other. Magic, pure magic. Thank you Aretha.”
Kelly Ripa shared: “R E S P E C T to the queen of soul. Thankful to have been in the presence of such greatness.”
Ripa’s Live! With Kelly and Ryan cohost, Ryan Seacrest, recalled working with Franklin on American Idol. “The @AmericanIdol fam had the great privilege of working with the iconic Aretha Franklin for a special ep in Detroit,” he tweeted. “The world will miss her as she’s left an indelible mark on our culture. Her artistry & music will move & inspire us forever. Rest in peace to the Queen of Soul.”
Diana Ross, who expressed concern for Franklin in the days leading up to her passing, wrote on Twitter: “I’m sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin.”
“I’m absolutely devastated by Aretha’s passing,” a rep for Clive Davis tells Us Weekly in a statement. “She was truly one of a kind. She was more than the Queen of Soul. She was a national treasure to be cherished by every generation throughout the world. Apart from our long professional relationship, Aretha was my friend. Her loss is deeply profound and my heart is full of sadness.”
The “Respect” singer died at age 76 at her home in Detroit after battling advance pancreatic cancer. “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,” Franklin’s family said in a statement from her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, on Thursday. “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.”
See more reactions below:
The whole world will miss her but will always rejoice in her remarkable legacy. The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen. #RIPArethaFranklin
Elton xx
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) August 16, 2018
Mourning the loss today of @ArethaFranklin who shared her spirit and talent with the world. She deserves not only our RESPECT but also our lasting gratitude for opening our eyes, ears and hearts. Rest in eternal peace, my friend.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 16, 2018
I have loved Aretha Franklin’s music my entire life, and her music has played in our audience for 15 years. My heart goes out to her family. #RESPECT #QueenofSoul
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 16, 2018
Aretha Franklin is the reason why I sing from that part deep inside of me that few could ever reach. She was my favorite and will always be. What a gift she has left all of us with her musical footprints. There will never be another like her. She was truly special. #QueenOfSoul
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) August 16, 2018
The moment I wake up, before I put on my make up, I say a little prayer for you
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) August 16, 2018
What a gift your voice was to this world and will forever continue to be #ArethaFranklin You will be GREATLY missed. My heart breaks knowing that you are gone… only from physical form though. You and your voice will live on and inspire for eternity! #QueenOfSoul
— LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (@leannrimes) August 16, 2018
Goodbye Ms. Aretha. You were my idol. The greatest singer of all time. Every note you sang was pure and authentic and pierced our hearts with joy and pain and life.
— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) August 16, 2018
Aretha Franklin helped build the road that all minorities and women walk on today. She wasn’t just the Queen of Soul. She was an American Queen. Rest in love ❤️❤️❤️⛅️
— om (@oliviamunn) August 16, 2018
There will never be another Queen of Soul. Aretha Franklin is the embodiment of a soul blessed with a special gift. Grateful we have decades of recordings that will live on. Long Live The Queen. #RIPAretha
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) August 16, 2018
What a life. What a legacy!
So much love, respect and gratitude.
R.I.P. @ArethaFranklin https://t.co/400K1U5IHI— Carole King (@Carole_King) August 16, 2018
Lucky enough to have seen Aretha live exactly once, and this was it.
Thank you for the music, we will be listening to you forever https://t.co/aMHIBFaTAs— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) August 16, 2018
Rest In Peace Aretha You were always so lovely to me and my tv staff and always a real big deal!!!! We will miss you !!
— Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) August 16, 2018
Aretha.
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) August 16, 2018
RIP Aretha Franklin what a voice x
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 16, 2018
RIP Aretha 💔
— Sarah Hyland (@Sarah_Hyland) August 16, 2018
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 16, 2018
Many thanks to the Queen of Soul.
— Yusuf Gatewood (@YusufGatewood) August 16, 2018
Aretha Franklin… the Queen is gone. Long live the Queen!
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) August 16, 2018
RIP Aretha Franklin. Trailblazer, icon, and Queen. Thank you, thank you, thank you. #RESPECT
— Mia Hamm (@MiaHamm) August 16, 2018
RIP Aretha Franklin
— Gucci Mane (@gucci1017) August 16, 2018
Rest In Paradise Queen Aretha 🙏🏾
— Trey Songz (@TreySongz) August 16, 2018