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She was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1987; and Rolling Stone magazine ranked her as the Greatest Artist Of All Time.
Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1942, and her career began in the gospel choir of the Detroit baptist church where her father was the minister.
Over the decades she's won 20 Grammys - including the Lifetime Achievement Award. Countless hits from Respect to Natural Woman. She's performed at inauguration events for three US presidents.
She retired from music just last year.
The panelists tell us what their favourite Aretha song is.
Aretha Franklin performing in New York City in 2017. Photo: 2017 Getty Images