Universally renowned Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has breathed her last after a vicious struggle with health issues.
She succumbed to pancreatic cancer at her Detroit home according to a statement issued by her family to the media.
"I grew up listening to her music. It was very powerful and life-affirming. May she rest in peace," Susan Anyango says.
Aretha was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A few days ago, media reports indicated that she had been taken ill and was surrounded by family members.
Her music was popular among Kenyans especially those who grew up in the '80s and '90s when she topped charts across the world and achieved mind-blowing commercial success, selling over seventy five million copies of her music.
Her hits vaulted her to the international stage and won her a bewildering array of awards.
In 2017, she announced her plans to retire from her musical career.