Aretha Franklin is taking some time off. The Queen of Soul will reschedule a bunch of shows, and rest up for the entire month of June, resuming her tour in July.
David Brokaw, a spokesperson for the 77-year-old music legend, confirmed the month-long hiatus. Although her reasoning has not yet been specified, earlier in the month Franklin announced the cancellation of shows in Chicago and Connecticut to undergo medical treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Last week, Franklin appeared on American Idol's season 12 finale via satellite, and recently pulled out of her June 26 gig at the Ottawa Jazz Festival. “We are incredibly disappointed,” festival director Catherine O'Grady said of the news received late Tuesday (May 21). “I’ve been working on this deal for a very, very long time. Although she has played in Ottawa, she has never played outdoors and we were really excited about it. She is singing better than ever.”
O'Grady was also not provided further details for the cancellation, but is aware of the Detroit native's health issues. "It’s doctor’s orders, she’s really not well,” O'Grady added.
The last few years have been challenging for the lauded soul singer, who has been fiercely private about her health. After suffering a scare in 2010, Franklin re-emerged 85 pounds lighter.
In a December 2011 interview with Wendy Williams she detailed going through extreme pain. "The pain was so hard it nearly brought me to my knees. So I said 'The concerts are over. I have to go and find out what was wrong.'"
Franklin has since changed her diet and works to keep the weight off, a task which she characterized as an "up and down thing."

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