Aretha Franklin, the undisputed “Queen of Soul,” passed away on the morning of Thursday, August 16, 2018. Franklin had been battling pancreatic cancer and finally succumbed to the disease. She was 76 years old at the time of her death.

A statement from Franklin’s family confirmed her cause of death. The statement said, “Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute… 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. 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.”

Franklin had been struggling with her health for several years and announced her retirement from touring last year much to the disappointment of her many fans. Franklin had been a professional singer and accomplished pianist since her late teens and was a superstar before she was 30. She was a multi-octave mezzo-soprano filled with gospel passion and tastes that were both sophisticated and eccentric. She recorded hundreds of tracks including 20 that topped the R&B charts. The peak of Franklin’s career, however, came during the late 1960’s with some of her most iconic hits including “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools” and the classic “Respect.” Such was her vocal prowess that it has been considered the height of stupidity for other singers to try and tackle her songs. They will inevitably be compared to Franklin, and they will almost inevitably come up short.

Though she is best known as one of the greatest singers of all time, Franklin was more than simply a superstar. Political and civic leaders saw her as a friend and a peer. She was a longtime friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and she sang at the dedication of his memorial in 2011. Franklin was also not afraid to use her talents to help advance her causes. “Respect” was described as “an appeal for dignity…a call to action” by Rolling Stone magazine, and Franklin herself stated that “Respect” was more than just a catchy tune. “[‘Respect’] was a battle cry for freedom and many people of many ethnicities took pride in that word,” Franklin said. “It was meaningful to all of us.” In 1968, she was pictured on the cover of TIME magazine.

Franklin’s overwhelming popularity began to fade in the 1970’s, but she managed to make a comeback in 1980 after switching record labels and continued to perform and record through the 1990’s and into the new millennium. “Music is my thing, it’s who I am,” she said. “I’m in it for the long run. I’ll be around singing, ‘What you want, baby I got it,’ having fun all the way.”

Aretha Franklin is the sort of talent that will be missed for generations. Her vocal skills were nearly unparalleled, and she smashed through gender and racial barriers without hesitation. There is no doubt that even many years after her passing she will continue to reign as “Queen of Soul” in many people’s hearts. In fact, this is one crown that may never truly be passed on to be worn by another.