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Celebrities, public figures mourn passing of Detroit icon Aretha Franklin

Posted at 10:24 AM, Aug 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-16 18:58:22-04

Celebrities and public figures mourned the passing of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

Franklin passed of advanced pancreatic cancer at her home in Detroit Thursday morning.

President Donald Trump tweeted his condolences:

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan released the following statement:

Aretha Franklin and her father, Rev. C. L. Franklin, have meant so much to our city for generations of Detroiters and we are all deeply saddened that Aretha has passed. 

Few people in the history of our city have been as universally loved or left as indelible a mark as Aretha. From the time her father gave Aretha her start in the New Bethel choir, it was clear to everyone how special she was. She was a performer without peers. Throughout her extraordinary life and career, she earned the love - and yes, the respect - of millions of people, not just for herself and for women everywhere, but for the city she loved so dearly and called home.

I was honored to present Aretha with the key to our city last year and her last concert in Detroit. While she may have passed, Aretha Franklin will always have the key to our hearts.  

President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, released this statement:

Hillary and I mourn the loss of our friend Aretha Franklin, one of America's greatest national treasures. For more than 50 years, she stirred our souls. She was elegant, graceful, and utterly uncompromising in her artistry. Aretha’s first music school was the church and her performances were powered by what she learned there. I'll always be grateful for her kindness and support, including her performances at both my inaugural celebrations, and for the chance to be there for what sadly turned out to be her final performance last November at a benefit supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS. She will forever be the Queen of Soul and so much more to all who knew her personally and through her music. Our hearts go out to her family and her countless fans.

      The Detroit Lions also expressed their condolences.

 Celebrities everywhere mourned her death.