'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin Dead at 76

Aretha Franklin, the undisputed "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think," ''I Say a Little Prayer" and her signature song, "Respect," and stood as a cultural icon around the globe, has died at age 76 from pancreatic cancer.

Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn told The Associated Press through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 am at her home in Detroit.

The family added: "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."

The statement continued:

"We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."

Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.

Franklin's career spanned every decade since the 1960's. Top five singles in the U.S. include: "Respect" and "Chain of Fools" (1967), "Spanish Harlem" (1971), "Day Dreaming" (1972), "Until You Come Back to Me" (1973), "Freeway of Love" (1985), "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" with George Michael (1987).

She hit the top 40 in 1994 with "Willing to Forgive," and "A Rose is Still a Rose," in 1998, and her last charting single was a cover of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," which peaked at number 47 in 2014.