Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, Has Died at 76

Aretha Franklin, whose powerful voice and blending of gospel and blues styling earned her the title "the Queen of Soul," has died at 76 according to a family statement.

Franklin died at 9:50am surrounded by family and friends at her home in Detroit. The "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 Detroit," said the family statement by Franklin's longtime publicist Gwendolyn Quinn. Franklin's passing comes days after an inside source revealed to CNN's Don Lemon that Franklin was in hospice care.

"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's family said in their statement. "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."