Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, has died at 76

Aretha Franklin, a cultural icon whose career spanned six decades and more than 70 Billboard charting singles, has passed away. Franklin considered herself one of The Young and the Restless' biggest fans.

There are not enough words to describe the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Singer. Icon. Philanthropist. As the world mourns the loss of Aretha Franklin, there are two words that you might not hear used to describe the "Respect" singer: soap fan.

Franklin was a huge fan of The Young and the Restless. In fact, that love of Genoa City earned Franklin two invitations to the Daytime Emmys.

"The Young and the Restless [is] one of my all-time favorite shows," Franklin shared in a 1997 video that introduced the CBS soap's Daytime Emmy montage. "I watch it in the morning. I watch it when I'm at home. I watch it when I'm in concert. I watch it when I'm asleep. I WATCH IT!"

She even had a favorite character -- the mustache himself, Victor Newman.

"Victor is one of my favorite characters in The Young and the Restless. I love the way he makes his approach to a woman. He's the all-time player," Franklin beamed as she tried to mimic Eric Braeden's voice. "I love the way he operates."

Franklin also appeared as a presenter at the 2005 Daytime Emmys.

It also seems that Franklin's love of soaps went beyond just Y&R. The Bold and the Beautiful's VP of Communications Eva Basler shared a story of how Franklin was excited to see some familiar B&B faces in the crowd at the Daytime Emmys.

"It was my first year at #BoldandBeautiful & we were at rehearsals in #NYC. #ArethaFranklin was on stage & looked down to the floor & screamed, 'RIDGE! THORNE!' excited to see them in the front row," Basler wrote on Twitter. "Later, I had the honor of escorting Susan Flannery & her thru the gifting suite."

Aretha Franklin charted a whopping 73 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the most of any female artist and ninth-most of all artists. She has also been the recipient of 18 Grammys, the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, and Grammy Legend Award. In 1987, Franklin was the first female to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She has also been inducted into the Apollo Theater Legends Hall of Fame, and the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Franklin was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

"It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the passing of Aretha Louise Franklin, the Queen of Soul," Franklin's family announced in a statement. "Franklin, 76 years old, passed away on Thursday morning, August 16 at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit, MI, surrounded by family and loved ones. Franklin's official cause of death was due to advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's Oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI."

"In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds," the statement continues. "We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."

What is your favorite Aretha Franklin song? Did you know that she was a big fan of Y&R? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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