The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, recently canceled a couple of performances, including an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
The legendary singer-songwriter, who has been in the music business for decades now, has been advised to take a break from touring, a statement revealed this week. Franklin is 75 years old.
Taking A Breather
"Aretha Franklin has been ordered by her doctor to stay off the road and rest completely for at least the next two months," her management said on Friday, March 16. "She is extremely disappointed she cannot perform at this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as she had expected and hoped to."
The "Chain Of Fools" singer was meant to headline at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest scheduled to take place from April 27 to May 6 at the Fair Grounds Race Course. The event will also feature Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, Sting, Jack White, Beck, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Sheryl Crow, and many others.
Organizers of the event announced that Stewart will take over her slot on Saturday night.
She also canceled her performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey on March 25. The show was supposed to take place on her 76th birthday.
Aretha Franklin Retires From Touring
The multi-Grammy Award-winning singer announced in February last year that she will be retiring from touring. However, Franklin assured fans that she will continue to record new songs and perform live.
"From time to time I would sing, and of course, I would have special artists come in to perform for the city that people in Detroit like — Detroit favorites," she said.
The performances will take place at her very own nightclub which will be erected in her hometown of Detroit. She said that the venue will be called Aretha's.
The "I Say a Little Prayer For You" singer last performed at Elton John's annual AIDS Foundation gala in November 2017.
Last year, she also released A Brand New Me, her newest album recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Her friend, Stevie Wonder, contributed to the album as a producer.
In addition, this coming summer, Franklin is scheduled to perform at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, Massachusettes on June 9 and the Toronto Jazz Festival in Toronto, Ontario in Canada on June 28, her final scheduled performance this year.
A biopic about the award-winning singer is currently in the works. The role of Franklin was handed to former American Idol Jennifer Hudson.
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