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Aretha Franklin is reportedly gravely ill -- and in words that often indicate that death may be near, her family has been gathering at her home, while asking fans for prayers.
Now 76, the Queen of Soul announced in 2017 that she planned to stop touring and concentrate on recording another album and look into opening a nightclub in her hometown of Detroit.
Franklin has survived several health crises over the past decade. And while there's been speculation that she has been treated for either stomach or pancreatic cancer, Aretha has been tight-lipped on the subject. Three of her siblings have died from various forms of cancer.
She last performed last November at Elton John's annual AIDS Foundation gala in New York. But in recent months, Aretha hasn't been seen in public.
The 20-time Grammy winner was the first woman ever inducted into the Rock and roll Hall of Fame. (Daily Mail)