The Queen of Soul has spoken.
Legendary songstress Aretha Franklin — who hastily scrubbed two free Brooklyn shows on Tuesday citing an unspecified injury — finally put out a statement this morning that explained that she suffered fractured ribs and pain in the abdomen due to a fall on Sunday.
“I was very much looking forward to being in Brooklyn and having a foot-long hot dog at Coney Island,” Franklin said in the statement. “Hopefully, I will get it before the end of August.”
The injury forces Franklin to miss both of Borough President Markowitz’s concerts series, which had expected to host the singer’s first shows in Brooklyn at Wingate Field in Crown Heights on Aug. 9 and Asser Levy Seaside Park in Coney Island on Aug. 12.
Markowitz was especially disappointed, as he had tried to lure the Queen of Soul to Kings for years.
“All of Brooklyn wishes Aretha Franklin a speedy recovery,” said Markowitz. “We hope to reschedule with her when she’s feeling better — and we Brooklynites will be thrilled to welcome the Queen of Soul to the County of Kings.”
On the Sunday in question, Franklin performed at the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Mass., for 85 minutes, which included a 10-minute intermission when she “slipped to the side of the stage, took a seat in the shadows and toweled off while her massive orchestra took over,” according to the Boston Herald. Throughout the performance, the hefty soul legend also seemed out of breath, according to the paper.
But few knew the extent of the injury until today.
Brooklynites aren’t the only ones missing out on the sultry powerful voice behind such hits as “Respect” and “Chain of Fools.”
The accident occurred just in time for Franklin to also have a convenient excuse to skip Rep. Charlie Rangel’s 80th birthday party at The Plaza on Aug. 11.
The thousand-term congressman is currently facing an ethics trial that could lead to his expulsion from the House.
The remainder of Markowitz’s concert series will continue as scheduled, with John Legend performing tomorrow night at Asser Levy Seaside Park.
