Legendary singer Aretha Franklin died Thursday at the age of 76 at her Detroit home following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Appropriately dubbed "The Queen of Soul," Franklin had over 100 singles on the Billboard charts over the course of five decades. Her legendary voice, striking soul and undeniable talent had staying power, as she continued to perform up until 2017.
In fact, she delivered an iconic performance of the "Star-Spangled Banner" in her hometown of Detroit before the Lions took on the Vikings on Thanksgiving Day in 2016. That rendition of the national anthem lasted roughly four and a half minutes -- significantly longer than your average performance of the song.
It was not wasted time, however, as the soulful performance is widely recognized as one of the better pregame anthems in recent memory.
You can relive that performance below.
With Franklin's passing, many key figures in the sports world took time to remember her, reflecting on her legacy and the impact that the singer had on their lives.
Aretha’s voice is a major part of the American soundscape. It’s part of our memories when we smiled and rocked to her beat. RIP Aretha!https://t.co/8SUzzOYAUW
— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) August 16, 2018
My Grandma Charlena LOVES blasting and singing along to “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman!”. #RIPQueen pic.twitter.com/n2NcoH7SZg
— Chris Paul (@CP3) August 16, 2018
R.I.P to an all time G.O.A.T. Aretha Franklin!
— Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) August 16, 2018
Rest easy Queen Mother:#NowPlaying "Day Dreaming" by Aretha Franklin in @TIDAL https://t.co/5BzutePcCe
— David West (@D_West30) August 16, 2018
RIP Aretha Franklin
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) August 16, 2018
RIP to the Queen of Soul https://t.co/CuiZDLUhtZ
— Cj Spiller (@CJSPILLER) August 16, 2018
Love you Aretha!! Thank you for all that you gave. https://t.co/Ey0lOtR4oz
— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) August 16, 2018
Much R-E-S-P-E-C-T
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) August 16, 2018
RIP Queen of Soul. pic.twitter.com/87j06SLzic
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Aretha Franklin.
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 16, 2018
Aretha was a groundbreaker and an icon whose legacy will live on forever. pic.twitter.com/dmYrfpDOjC
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 16, 2018