Already have an account?
Get back to the

Aretha Franklin Dead: John Legend, Barbra Streisand and More Celebrities Pay Tribute

The Queen of Soul definitely made her mark. John Legend, Barbra Streisand and more celebrities paid tribute to Aretha Franklin following her death on Thursday, August 16.

Aretha Franklin Dead
Soul singer Aretha Franklin poses for a portrait in circa 1968. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Related: Aretha Franklin’s Life in Pictures

“Salute to the Queen,” Legend, 39, tweeted. “The greatest vocalist I’ve ever known. #Aretha.”

Streisand, 76, shared a pic of herself and Franklin on Twitter along with the caption: “This photo was taken in 2012 when Aretha & I performed at a tribute celebration for our friend Marvin Hamlisch. It’s difficult to conceive of a world without her. Not only was she a uniquely brilliant singer, but her commitment to civil rights made an indelible impact on the world.”

Related: Celebrity Deaths in 2018: Stars We’ve Lost

“One of the highlights of my career was singing with #ArethaFranklin at The Tony Awards,” Hugh Jackman tweeted. “It was an out of body experience for me. One of the greatest singers of all time. You will be missed by all.”

Kate Hudson posted a heartwarming message on her Instagram account. “Oh queen oh queen how I cry to see you go. Like so many others I share the sadness of this loss,” she wrote. “A true inspiration, a constant listen in my youth. I remember going deep into her B sides and live performances, always in awe of her ability. To discover the effortlessness of her gift, to take it in and experience the tones that shaped my love for singing. Her instrument like no other. Magic, pure magic. Thank you Aretha.”

Related: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time

Kelly Ripa shared: “R E S P E C T to the queen of soul. Thankful to have been in the presence of such greatness.”

Ripa’s Live! With Kelly and Ryan cohost, Ryan Seacrest, recalled working with Franklin on American Idol. “The @AmericanIdol fam had the great privilege of working with the iconic Aretha Franklin for a special ep in Detroit,” he tweeted. “The world will miss her as she’s left an indelible mark on our culture. Her artistry & music will move & inspire us forever. Rest in peace to the Queen of Soul.”

Diana Ross, who expressed concern for Franklin in the days leading up to her passing, wrote on Twitter: “I’m sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin.”

“I’m absolutely devastated by Aretha’s passing,” a rep for Clive Davis tells Us Weekly in a statement. “She was truly one of a kind. She was more than the Queen of Soul. She was a national treasure to be cherished by every generation throughout the world. Apart from our long professional relationship, Aretha was my friend. Her loss is deeply profound and my heart is full of sadness.”

The “Respect” singer died at age 76 at her home in Detroit after battling advance pancreatic cancer. “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,” Franklin’s family said in a statement from her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, on Thursday. “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.”

See more reactions below:

In this article

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!