I have nothing but respect for the legendary Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin and am saddened to hear about her death. Multiple reports state Aretha had cancer and battled the disease for 8 years.

The extraordinarily talented singer is an original. Her renditions of ‘Respect, ‘ Until you Come Back to Me,' Sweet, Sweet Baby Since You’ve Been Gone,' 'Chain of Fools,' 'Baby I Love you,' 'I Say a Little Prayer,' 'Who’s Zooming Who?,' etc., etc. were all part of the fabric of my life.

Her voice -- that voice -- so unique, powerful, raspy and SO soulful. In fact, she is so good at what she does that she brought former president Obama to Tears Performing At Kennedy Center Honors.

If an Aretha Franklin song is on the radio or your iPod, it is immediately identifiable.The 18-time Grammy award winner was born in Detroit, MI on March 25, 1942 and started to sing gospel at age 4. She came up at the time when it was tougher for black entertainers to make their mark due to racism. 

Sadly, there seems to be a resurgence of bigotry across the U-S. However, being both black and a woman must have made the journey to stardom significantly harder. But no one could dispute her unworldly talent and ability to interpret lyrics to the point where she could propel a tune right into your soul. That’s how Aretha makes me feel.

Watching her interviewed on many occasions, I was always touched by her gentleness and quiet strength. The star struggled with health issues over her life, including a bout with alcoholism, diabetes and the removal of an undisclosed tumor in 2011.

Multiple marriages and relationships in her personal life must have taken a toll. She has four sons in total and had her first child when she was just 12.

In spite of all the challenges, Aretha Franklin was listed as Billboard's most charted female artist with 112 charted singles, including 77 Hot 100 entries, 17 top ten pop singles, 100 R&B songs and twenty number-one R&B singles.

Aretha, The Queen of Soul, is in my prayers.