AMERICAN soul legend, Aretha Franklin, has died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76.

It is understood that the soul singer died with her family at her bedside in Detroit.

Franklin had been in ill health since 2010, when she was diagnosed with a tumour. But she underwent successful surgery and returned to performing, before retiring last year.

Her last performance was at Elton John’s 25th anniversary gala in New York City in November, which coincided with the release her last album A Brand New Me.

Known as “the Queen of Soul”, Franklin sold more than 75 million records and won 18 Grammy awards.

She had 77 entries in the US Billboard Hot 100 and 20 No 1 singles on the R&B chart.

Franklin is survived by her four sons. She gave birth to her first son, Clarence, when she was 13, and her second, Edward, aged 14.

Ted was born in 1964, followed by Kecalf in 1970.