abc's chris connelly takes us inside the life of the queen of soul. ♪ before the day i met you >> reporterfranklin, the 2015 kennedy center honors makes the ideal case. ♪ you make me feel >> reporter: aretha taking the audience to church with "you make me feel like a natural woman." ♪ you make me feel like a natural woman ♪ >> what aretha had, it's something you can't be taught. no one had more soul than that woman. >> reporter: aretha franklin died on thursday at age 76 in her hometown of detroit, a result of advanced pancreatic cancer. in her final days, her family gathered to say good-bye. >> i had a chance to sit next to her and just hold her hand, just to sit there and talk to her, let her know that she's loved, you know. on behalf of the family, we really appreciated her. i felt her squeeze my hand, i felt aunty squeeze my hand, i knew she heard and understood everything i was saying. >> reporter: while her family mourns their matriarch, an outpouring from fans. elton john calling her one of his favorite pianists. kelly clarkson, there will never be another like her, she was truly sp

here's abc's chris connelly. ♪ darling i will be loving you till we're 70 ♪ >> when you're writing arself bare. sometimes saying things that might be quite embarrassing. coming out with ideas that might be quite embarrassing. ♪ maybe we found love right where we are ♪ >> it's a really weird thing. i think it works as some sort of therapy for me, anyway. i think i've stopped myself going mad by writing songs. >> reporter: from thinking out loud -- ♪ only you >> reporter: to castle on the hill. in the age of the prefab pop star, ed sheeran is a glorious anomaly. a singer, songwriter, guitarist whose massive success rests on the rock of his songcraft and soulful voice, authentic as an unmade bed. how are you? how are you doing? >> yeah, i'm good, i'm good. i'm in l.a. so i'm staying inside trying not to get sunburnt. ♪ happy there >> reporter: with that pale skin, red hair and glasses, the 27-year-old english troubadour is the subject of "songwriter," a film from his cousin marie cummings that documents the divine. >> having my back to the wall, observe what's happening, let it happen,

chris connelly has more on her condition. good morning, chris. >> reporter: good morning, robin.retha franklin said to be gravely ill surrounded by loved ones at her bedside and very much on the minds and in the hearts of millions this morning who were transformed by her voice. last night that extraordinary scene in her hometown of detroit courtesy of jay-z and beyonce. ♪ what you want, baby i got it ♪ what you need, you know i got it ♪ >> reporter: with god-given talent and artistry that conveyed emotion like no other, lady soul teaching the world all it needed to know about respect. ♪ little respect when you come home ♪ >> reporter: this morning reports that the 76-year-old aretha franklin is gravely ill. >> aretha franklin is currently surrounded by family and friends in her home city of detroit and she is, according to our sources, gravely ill at this point. >> reporter: in the wake of that news prayers, deep feeling and expressions of support pouring forth monday on social media from so many, mariah carey praying for the queen of soul, lin-manuel miranda adding my prepare to

. >> we will, but we'll go to chris connelly starting us off from l.a. the tributes that are pouring in right now. good morning, chris. >> reporter: good morning, robin. it's hard to think of another pop culture figure who could inspire the tributes aretha franklin has. people from all walks of life, each of them grateful for all that she gave us. ♪ i used to feel so uninspired >> reporter: from those she sang with -- ♪ you make me feel ♪ you make me feel ♪ you make me feel like a natural woman ♪ >> reporter: from those she sang for. ♪ freedom rings >> reporter: and from those she sang to. ♪ chain of fools >> reporter: heartfelt tributes to aretha franklin following news of her death thursday at the age of 76, coming from every corner of american life. beyonce posting this image in the words, forever in our hearts. and now nasa noting that asteroid 249516 aretha, named to commemorate the queen of soul will keep orbiting beyond mars. at her star on the hollywood walk of fame and in her hometown of detroit, floral tributes and notes of gratitude from fans.

that's why we have our oscars expert chris connelly in los angeles to break it down. hael. that's right. some big oscar changes for this coming movie season such as that brand-new category that already has people talking. following yesterday's announcement from the academy that the oscars would add a new category for outstanding achievement in popular film, the reaction was immediate and occasionally agitated. >> adding a popular film category is an attempt to bring back some viewers that, let's be honest, don't see all of the movies that typically get nominated. the other side of it is people are somewhat upset about this. if you're a purist, you're probably going to be a little disappointed. >> reporter: the academy faces challenges with fewer viewers watching in recent years. art house films have dominated as of late. [ singing in french ] along with a film like "mission: impossible-fallout," "black panther" would appear to be among the early favorites for a best popular film academy award. >> wakanda forever! >> reporter: yet might that diminish its overall stature

our chris connelly sat down with his family to learn more about it. ous" movies but many didn't know that much about paul walker. now the documentary "i am paul walker" produced by network entertainment seeks to take viewers inside the all-too-short life of the late leading man. >> paul lived a very private life and kept his family protected. he didn't idolize all these people and say i want to be a big movie star one day. >> reporter: nearly five years after paul walker's death in a car crash at the age of 40, his father and siblings caleb and cody reveal a loving son, dad and older brother. >> ah. >> what was it like to see the footage of you hugging your brother? >> yeah, it was powerful. we all loved him. i loved him. i love that video. i love that video. >> reporter: the "fast and furious" made him a star but he lived off the showbiz grid often out of the country on surf trips. >> that's where he escaped all of his troubles. and all of his stress and everything. i mean, he would literally vanish. >> reporter: paul kept his charitable works out of

chris connelly with a look at her incredible life. ♪ what you want baby i got it ♪ what you need youw i got it ♪ >> reporter: with god-given talent and artistry that conveyed emotion like no oh. ♪ r-e-s-p-e-c-t >> reporter: she taught the world all it needed to know about respect. ♪ is for a little respect when you get home ♪ >> reporter: she has the voice of a generation. her gin ration and yours. ♪ forever and ever >> what she did was -- allow emotional extravagance to be okay. ♪ think think think let your mind going to let yourself be free ♪ >> reporter: with such songs as think, she elect try fied fwans her greatness. ♪ freedom >> reporter: singing gospel. in 1966. ♪ amen >> reporter: in her youth, she would learn from such mentors as the great gospel singer mihalia jackson and the great sam cooke, who would tell her, sing, girl. she broke through in 1967 with i never loved a man the way i loved you. setting off a series of hits through 1968. among them chain of fools. ♪ chain of fools ♪ every day >> reporter: and you make me feel like a natural woman. ♪ you make me feel like a n