Former President of United States Barack Obama has taken to his social media page, to mourn the death of Aretha Franklin, who until her death was regarded as the Queen of Soul.
Barack Obama in his condolence message, called the late soul, and gospel icon as that woman that helped define the ‘American experience’. He said she defined what America is through her compositions of musicianship which were unmatched. He said:
“She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance.”
Barack Obama who was saddened by her death, said though, she is gone now, her gift of music will remain and will continue to inspire everyone of us. He said.
Aretha Franklin has been one of his favourite, as she was one of the entertainers who performed during his first inauguration as the First and only black President of the United States of America in 2009. She performed “My Country, ‘Tis Of Thee”.
Taking to his Instagram page, Obama said:
“America has no royalty. But we do have a chance to earn something more enduring. Born in Memphis and raised in Detroit, Aretha Franklin grew up performing gospel songs in her father’s congregation. For more than six decades since, every time she sang, we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine.
Through her compositions and unmatched musicianship, Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance.
Aretha may have passed on to a better place, but the gift of her music remains to inspire us all. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. Michelle and I send our prayers and warmest sympathies to her family and all those moved by her song.”
The singer who had over six decades of singing career, died in the early hours of Thursday 16th August 2018, after battling with Cancer and was aged 76.