Elton John, a friend and fan of Aretha Franklin’s, posted a tribute to the legendary singer on social media shortly after her passing after a long battle with cancer.
Franklin’s last public performance was at Elton’s AIDS Foundation benefit in New York last November, where she was noticeably thin but in strong form during throughout her nine-song set. John introduced her as “The greatest singer of all time.”
“The loss of Aretha Franklin is a blow for everybody who loves real music: Music from the heart, the soul and the Church,” he wrote. “Her voice was unique, her piano playing underrated – she was one of my favorite pianists. I was fortunate enough to spend time with her and witness her last performance – a benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. She was obviously unwell, and I wasn’t sure she could perform. But Aretha did and she raised the roof. She sang and played magnificently, and we all wept.
