Elton John pays tribute to Aretha Franklin

Mourning his friend Aretha Franklin's demise, music maestro Sir Elton John paid a long tribute to the 'Queen of Soul' on Social Media.

Describing Franklin's passing away as a "blow" for her fans, John tweeted, "The loss of Aretha Franklin is a blow for everybody who loves real music: Music from the heart, the soul and the Church. Her voice was unique, her piano playing underrated - she was one of my favourite pianists."

He also added that he was fortune enough to witness her last performance, "I was fortunate enough to spend time with her and witness her last performance - a benefit for @ejaf at St John The Divine Cathedral. She was obviously unwell,

and I wasn't sure she could perform. But Aretha did and she raised the roof."

"The whole world will miss her but will always rejoice in her remarkable legacy. The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen. #RIPArethaFranklin... Elton xx," he concluded.

Franklin's last public appearance was at Elton John's AIDS Foundation event in New York last November. He introduced her as "The greatest singer of all time."

American singer and music royalty Aretha Franklin passed away at the age of 76 following a prolonged illness on Thursday. She was suffering from pancreatic cancer and was in a grave condition from last few years.

Lady Gaga also posted a tweet in her honour that read, "What beautiful music and vocal artistry you gave to the world. You are a legend and your soul will never be forgotten. Rest in peace angel of music. #ArethaFranklin"

Earlier, stars like Beyonce, Jay- Z and DJ Khaled had also paid their heartfelt tributes to Franklin, who gave hits like 'Respect', 'Natural Women', and 'I say a little prayer'.