SAG-AFTRA mourns the passing of “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, who died Aug. 16 at the age of 76.
From her roots as the daughter of a preacher in Memphis, Tennessee, to becoming one of the best-selling artists of all time, she captivated audiences across the nation and across the globe.
Aretha Franklin was one of the all-time greats. With a voice that resonated with faith, hope and strength, she influenced and inspired generations of performers and had a profound impact across musical genres. She truly put the ‘soul’ in soul music. Her passing is a loss to all of us.
Gabrielle Carteris
SAG-AFTRA President
Her confident, mezzo-soprano voice took the world by storm, resulting in an accomplished career that spanned more than half a century and was filled with accolades. She won 18 Grammys, and was nominated 44 times. Other honors included three NAACP Image Awards, Kennedy Center Honors and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was bestowed numerous honorary degrees, was no stranger to lists of the greatest singers of all time and even had an asteroid named for her. In 1987, she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and only the second to be inducted in the UK Music Hall of Fame.
SAG-AFTRA extends its deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to her friends and family.
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