QUEEN OF SOUL RETIRES

Fifty-seven years after signing with Columbia, half a century after moving to Atlantic and three decades after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Franklin is calling it a career.

Franklin told Detroit Local 4's Evrod Cassimy “I am retiring this year" following the release of an album of new songs, most likely in September. She said she will continue to perform at special events—no more than once a month—“but this will be my last year in concert. This is it."

For decades, Franklin has not flown, which has limited her touring activities. The West Coast didn’t see Franklin for decades—a 2004 show at the Greek was her first in L.A. in 21 years—but she has returned more frequently in recent years.

"I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from, and where it is now," Franklin said. "I'll be pretty much satisfied, but I'm not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing. That wouldn't be good either."

Franklin said she'll be recording in Detroit and that the songs will all be originals.