Former president Barack Obama celebrates with Aretha Franklin at a 2015 Justice Department event to unveil the official portrait of Eric Holder, the former Attorney General.@BarackObama/Twitter
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, died on Thursday at her home in Detroit, aged 76. The former president, Barack Obama, and his wife Michelle, released the following statement celebrating her musical achievements, and her iconic role in American life:
Statement from the Obamas on Aretha Franklin: “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.” pic.twitter.com/SSStbjZ6Ox
— David Mack (@davidmackau) August 16, 2018
The former president also posted this photographic tribute to Franklin on Twitter:
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. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. pic.twitter.com/bfASqKlLc5
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 16, 2018
Memorably, Franklin performed “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” at President Obama’s first inauguration. Relive that performance below:
Re-watching Aretha Franklin's amazing performance at Barack Obama's first inauguration (Here's the slightly shorter video to fit on Twitter): pic.twitter.com/rOTu55ooLw
— James West (@jameswest2010) August 16, 2018
