Aretha Franklin has died at the age of 76 after several days in hospice care at her Detroit home following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Franklin’s family issued a statement saying, “In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family.” Franklin was married twice and has four sons, and some among them have followed in the footsteps of their mother, who started out as a gospel singer, before becoming a music legend. Here’s what you need to know about Franklin’s children: 1. Her Son Ted White, Jr. Is a Guitar Player & Singer Teddy Richards live in Germany (solo-acoustic) In Your GardenNewly discovered live performance video footage. The song In Your Garden was appears on Teddy's CD Gravity. This solo acoustic performance was filmed by Steven Haberland at Knust in Hamburg, Germany in 2006. 2010-07-08T01:13:43.000Z Ted White, Jr. was born in 1964 to Franklin and Franklin’s former manager Ted White. The coupled wed in 1961 and separated eight years later. Ted developed a passion for music at a young age, and according to his MusicPage profile, he attended Michigan State University. In 1994, he gave a cassette-demo to INXS keyboardist Andrew Farris, who agreed to help him rework the songs for an official release. “Andrew, who wrote many of the INXS signature hits, was very impressed with my writing and invited me to collaborate,” he recalled. “After writing & recording 2 songs, we negotiated a music publishing deal. We worked exceptionally well together and we ended up collaborating on 11 tracks!” White since gone on to release two more albums under the stage name Teddy Richards. “I’ve evolved from a self-taught guitarist into a producer, engineer and accomplished tunesmith,” he said. “I truly love music and enjoy the journey that it’s taken me on.” In addition to his recording career, Richards has been an opening act for INXS, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Seal, and The Verve Pipe. He’s also played backup guitar during several of his mother’s concerts. 2. The Parentage of Her Son Clarence Franklin, Jr. Has Been Subject to Controversy Aretha Louise Franklin: Her Husbands and ChildrenThe legend of soul and R’n’B music, Aretha Louise Franklin, born in 1942, definitely changed the world of music. She started her career early in her childhood – her father was a Baptist priest in a church, and little Aretha used to sing there during ceremonies. We would never doubt that our close people could… 2018-03-06T06:59:41.000Z Franklin gave birth to her first son Clarence in 1955. She was twelve at the time, and named him after her father, the revered C.L. Franklin. According to the Daily Mail, rumors began to surface that C.L. was the father of the child, but the real father was a man named Donald Burk, who Franklin met while they were attending school. In his book Respect, author David Ritz details the lifestyle that Franklin’s father maintained, which was reportedly a church that fronted orgies. Ray Charles, who encountered C.L. Franklin’s gospel group in the 1950s, said: “When it came to pure heart singing, they were mother*****s. When it came to pure sex, they were wilder than me – and that’s saying something. In those days I had a thing for orgies, but I had to be the only cat in the room with two or three chicks.” “The gospel people didn’t think that way,” Charles continued. “The cats liked it with the cats and the chicks liked it with the chicks and no one minded mixing it up this way or that. I got a kick outta seeing how God’s people were going for it hard and heavy every which way. I was just surprised to see how loose they were.” 3. Her Son Edward Franklin Has Sung With Her Onstage Aretha and her Son Eddie Franklin sing a soulsational "This Christmas" DuetOn Aretha Franklin's outstanding very first all Christmas CD,"This Christmas Aretha" she also sings a soulsational first time recorded duet with her son, Eddie Franklin. Enjoy!!! 2008-12-24T12:55:17.000Z Edward was born on January 22, 1957 to Franklin and a man named Edward Jordan. While he hasn’t released any solo material, Edward has performed with his mother several times, including a 2015 tribute to his grandfather C.L. Franklin. According to the Detroit News, Edward paid tribute to his grandfather by singing one of his mother’s favorite gospel songs: “His Eye is On the Sparrow.” His performance was said to be fantastic, leaving many audiences members crying. He received a standing ovation after he was finished. He sung backup vocals when Franklin recorded the song on her album A Woman Falling In Love. Edward has also been involved in several criminal investigations. In 2002, he was considered a suspect in an arson fire at his mother’s 10,000-square-foot home in Detroit, but the Telegraph reports that he was never charged. In 2010, Edward was severely beaten by three unknown assailants at a Detroit gas station. A woman who was with Edward told Michigan Live that she went into the gas station and when she came out, he had been attacked. The woman then drove Franklin to a hospital and then headed to the police station to file a report. Edward subsequently had to undergo emergency oral surgery. There have been rumors that Franklin had an affair with legendary singer Sam Cooke around the time of Edward’s birth, and that he was the child’s actual father. There has never been evidence to support this theory, however. Franklin described Jordan, Edward’s father, as “just some player.” 4. Her Son Kecalf Franklin Cunningham Is a Christian Rapper Aretha Franklin with her son – McDGospelfest 2013 in NJAretha Franklin singing with her son at McDonald's Gospelfest 2013 with John P. Kee, Smokie Norful, Lecrae, Hezekiah Walker & Donnie McClurkin at Prudential Center in Newark NJ on 5/11/13 2013-09-30T02:22:53.000Z Kecalf Franklin Cunningham was born on March 28, 1970 to Franklin and her road manager Ken Cunningham, who dated between 1968 and 1976.<doc-sep>The beginning of the new year comes with the irresistible urge to start over fresh, which means it's a great time to get a haircut. 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VIDEO: The Five Biggest Haircut Trends of 2020<doc-sep>Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Aretha Franklin‘s family called her death at 76 from pancreatic cancer “one of the darkest moments of our lives.” “We are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our hearts,” relatives of the legendary Queen of Soul said in a statement Thursday. “We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family.” Franklin’s love for her children, grandchildren and other relatives “knew no bounds,” the statement said. “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,” they said. “Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt the love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on.” Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn confirmed to the Associated Press that the renowned and internationally beloved singer died at her home in Detroit on Thursday morning due to advanced pancreatic cancer. Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days. With Post wires<doc-sep>Products in this story are independently selected and featured editorially. If you make a purchase using these links we may earn commission. Franklin — who died on Thursday from pancreatic cancer — had her first son at just 14 years old Among the mysteries of Aretha Franklin’s life and her preference for “extreme privacy,” her role as a mother was one the superstar typically kept private. The Queen of Soul, who died Thursday at the age of 76, had four children — her first, at only 14 years old. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “She had a tough childhood,” David Ritz, who wrote multiple biographies on Franklin’s life told PEOPLE before her death. The “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” singer’s childhood was marked by the separation of her mother Barbara and her father Clarence LaVaughn, whom she named her oldest son after, according to Respect, Ritz’s book on Franklin’s life. Portrait Of Aretha Franklin & Family Aretha Franklin (center), her father Clarence LaVaughn and her sister Carolyn | Credit: Anthony Barboza/Getty Franklin’s mother left the family when the singer was only 6 years old because of her husband’s infidelity. “She put out a picture of her having a happy home and happy children and everything was rosy, and any stories to the contrary really got her mad,” ghostwriter Ritz previously told PEOPLE. While she never publicly confirmed who fathered her older children, Ritz revealed in his book that the father of her oldest son, Clarence, 63, was Donald Burke, whom Franklin knew from school. “Aretha went back to school after having Clarence,” the musical icon’s sister Erma said in Respect. “She was an excellent student who did well in all her classes.” BET Honors 2014: Arrivals Aretha Franklin and son Edward | Credit: Larry French/BET/Getty In 1957, Franklin welcomed her second child, Edward, who turns 61 this month. Franklin would then drop out of school to focus on her musical career, leading her to live a life of “silent suffering,” as her sister Erma describes in Respect. RELATED VIDEO: Beyoncé and JAY-Z Dedicate Their Concert to Aretha Franklin: ‘We Love You’ “We were part of that generation of young female singers who definitely sacrificed time with our kids to attend to our careers. We did so knowingly,” Franklin’s eldest sister said in the book. “We also did so with heavy guilt.” Care of her two eldest children fell heavily to “Big Mama,” Franklin’s grandmother, according to the 2015 biography of Franklin’s life. “I still wanted to get out and hang out with my friends,” she told Ebony in 1995 of young motherhood. “I wanted to be in two places at the same time. But my grandmother helped me a lot, and my sister and my cousin. They would babysit so I could get out occasionally.” At 19, Franklin married Ted White, and had a son with him, named Ted “Teddy” White, Jr., 54. Ted and the singer divorced in 1969 after reports of domestic abuse surfaced, and a 1968 Time article described how White “roughed her up” more than once. White, Jr. would go on to play backup guitar for Franklin before pursuing his own musical career under the name Teddy Richards. Franklin’s youngest son, Kecalf, 48, was born in 1970. His name is an acronym of both his father and mother’s full names — Ken E. Cunningham (the star’s road manager) and Aretha Louise Franklin. Celebrities Visit Broadway - May 29, 2015 Aretha Franklin with son Kecalf and granddaughter Victorie. | Credit: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic Franklin died on Thursday at the age of 76 after battling pancreatic cancer, her publicist confirmed to PEOPLE. “We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family,” the singer’s family wrote in a statement. “The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds.<doc-sep>
Kecalf Cunningham, Aretha Franklin’s youngest son and one of her four children, was born on March 28, 1970 to Franklin’s road manager Ken Cunningham, who Franklin dated between 1968 and 1976. The “Queen of Soul” died at age 76 after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. She died in hospice care in Detroit Thursday morning. Kecalf Cunningham is a Christian rapper who has performed with his superstar mother several times on stage. Their most notable performance was a 2008 concert at the Radio City Music Hall. He also had the pleasure of having his mother help him find his place in the music world, as Franklin was his business manager when he started his career. Here’s what you need to know about Kecalf Cunningham: 1. Cunningham is a Christian Rapper Who Has Performed With His Mother Several Times #QueenOfSoul great photo of #ArethaFranklin and her son Kecalf Cunningham stand under a newly unveiled street sign named in her honor outside Detroit's Music Hall in 2017. source Guralnick/Detroit News via AP pic.twitter.com/9VHiXK5JfQ — The Name Depot (@thenamedepot) August 16, 2018 In a 2008 interview with the New York Times, Cunningham, who raps under his birth name, performed with his mother. “An interlude featuring her son Kecalf Cunningham, a Christian rapper, who came with a backpack, a hoodie and some cheap-sounding recorded tracks,” they wrote. However, the author also wrote that it was a “relief” when he left the stage, suggesting that the rapper might have had some growing to do as an artist back in 2008. Aretha Franklin with her son – McDGospelfest 2013 in NJAretha Franklin singing with her son at McDonald's Gospelfest 2013 with John P. Kee, Smokie Norful, Lecrae, Hezekiah Walker & Donnie McClurkin at Prudential Center in Newark NJ on 5/11/13 2013-09-30T02:22:53.000Z In 2017, Cunningham also accompanied his mother at the unveiling of Aretha Franklin Way, a street renamed in her honor. According to the Detroit News, Aretha Franklin Way is located near Madison Street and Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers play. His name is an acronym of both his father and mother’s full names — Ken E. Cunningham (the star’s road manager) and Aretha Louise Franklin. 2. He Has Been Considered the “Shaquille O’Neal” of Christian Rap & Spreads the Word of God Through His Lyrics *New Music* Mary by KPointJoin us on Facebook: facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=1157626459&v=wall&ref=ts Official Website: eradesentproductions247.com Myspace: myspace.com/eradesentproductions247 Follow us on Twitter. Kecalf Franklin, The anointing flows through his veins. He is the grandson of the late great Rev. CL Franklin. His mother is the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Following in the footsteps of his mother he decided to form his… 2010-08-04T22:37:56.000Z According to Vulture, Cunningham may be the “Shaquille O’Neal” of Christian rap, and that he has been “allotted rap resources for reasons other than rap aptitude.” His music has an old school rap feel to it, complete with black and white videos and beats accompanied with piano. As a Christian rapper, he often retells the stories of the bible and shares the gospel and word of God through his lyrics. “Through immaculate conception, Gabriel gave Mary God’s directions, unsure of his intentions, she checked with Martha for confirmation, then her and Joseph had them a deep conversation,” Cunningham raps. There is very little of his music available on iTunes or YouTube, and no albums or music turn up on Amazon after plugging in his name. There are a few videos to be found however, one of which you can check out above. 3. Franklin Was Cunningham’s Business Manager When He Was Beginning His Career in Music — Franklin has four children: Clarence Franklin Jr. and Edwin Franklin, who were both born in the 1950s when Franklin was a teen; Ted White Jr., who was born in 1969 (father Ted White); and Kecalf Cunningham, who was born in 1970 (father Ken Cunningham). pic.twitter.com/Zm7lNuVSTS — newyorknewart (@newyorknewart) August 16, 2018 Franklin was Cunningham’s business manager when he started out in the music industry. After making millions of dollars on music, Franklin wanted to help her son and grandchildren succeed as well. According to I Love Old School Music, she was helping them all get record deals. “The “Chain of Fools” singer is making sure that her family follows her chain of command as she takes control of their careers as their business managers,” the publication reports. You see, Aretha has earned millions of bucks through her music, but her family members have yet to add those zeros to their bank accounts.