Barbra Streisand paid tribute to Aretha Franklin by sharing a throwback photo of the two legendary singers together in 2012.
Streisand tweeted a photo of the two from the 2012 tribute to the late composer Marvin Hamlisch, who worked with Franklin and Streisand.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“This photo was taken in 2012 when Aretha & I performed at a tribute celebration for our friend Marvin Hamlisch. It’s difficult to conceive of a world without her. Not only was she a uniquely brilliant singer, but her commitment to civil rights made an indelible impact on the world,” Streisand wrote.
Hamlisch’s widow, Terre Blair Hamlish, remembered Franklin in a statement on the Hamlisch estate’s website.
“Aretha, I will NEVER forget YOUR kindness and love waiting for me backstage with roses after driving all the way to NYC for Marvin’s memorial to sing,” Blair Hamlisch wrote. “I love you, Marvin loves you, and I will be praying for you.”
Hamlisch famously worked with Streisand on The Way We Were and wrote the music for countless Broadway hits, including A Chorus Line. The composer co-wrote Franklin’s 1977 R&B hit “Break It To Me Gently” with Carole Bayer Sager.
“He was classic and one of a kind,” Franklin said of Hamlisch’s death in 2012, reports Today. “Who will ever forget ‘The Way We Were’?”
During the Hamlisch tribute concert, Franklin sang “Nobody Does It Better,” Hamlisch’s song for the 1977 James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me. As Reuters reported at the time, Franklin added, “Marvin, you are the best” during the song. She then performed the spiritual “Deep River.”
Franklin died on Thursday morning at age 76. The cause of death was advanced pancreatic cancer.
“We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world,” Franklin’s family said in a statement. “Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
Streisand was not the only music legend to pay tribute to the Queen of Soul.
“What a life. What a legacy! So much love, respect and gratitude,” Carole King, who co-wrote “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” tweeted.
“Let’s all take a moment to give thanks for the beautiful life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many many years,” Paul McCartney tweeted, alongside a photo of Franklin taken by his late wife Linda McCartney. “She will be missed but the memory of her greatness as a musician and a fine human being will live with us forever. Love Paul.”
Photo credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images
