She last performed in November 2017 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York and her final "miraculous" public concert was in Philadelphia in August 2017.

Franklin - and her distinctive, powerful voice - rose to fame in the 1960s after starting out as a gospel singer, going on to achieve massive global success with memorable soul hits.

She sold more than 75 million records worldwide and accumulated 18 Grammy awards, including one for Lifetime Achievement. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

In a statement, former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said every time Franklin sang "we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine.

"Through her compositions and unmatched musicianship, Aretha helped define the American experience," the Obamas said. "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."