Aretha Franklin Fractures Ribs; Sad She'll Miss Hot Dogs & Birthday Cake

The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, has cancelled two upcoming free concerts in New York City after the singer fractured her ribs and complained of abdominal pain after suffering a fall.

Lady Soul’s spokeswoman, Gwendolyn Quinn issued a statement explaining the reasons for the cancellation:

“Due to fractured ribs and pain in the abdomen, it was necessary for Ms. Franklin to cancel and reschedule the two concerts,” said the statement from spokeswoman Gwendolyn Quinn. Franklin’s doctors have advised her to come in for tests immediately, the statement said.

“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.”

Franklin, 68, also noted, “I will really miss that nice slice of cake from Congressman Charlie Rangel’s birthday party and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to him.”

The two free concerts at Brooklyn’s Wingate Park in the East Flatbush neighborhood and at Asser Levy Park in Brighton Beach will be rescheduled.

We resisted the strong urge to get snarky with this post, because this is Aretha. She’ll still sing circles around any of these so called Rhythm & Blues chicks on the scene any day!

Let’s see Keri Hilson/Rihanna/Keyshia Cole/Ciara/Cassie/Mary J Blige (yeah, I said it) pull this off: