Aretha Franklin, a pioneer of R&B and Gospel music and who rightly earned the title of Queen of Soul, died today at her home in Detroit after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to CNN. She was 76.

The death of Franklin signifies an end to a life that was rich and robust, as colorful and full of memorable musical art as the woman herself. For over six decades, the singer’s instantly recognizable voice stretched to the emotional stratosphere and she became a titan not only in music, but provided a soundtrack, especially in her early superstar years, for a turbulent civil rights movement that was just at its peak during the late 1960s.

Robby Müller, the famed Dutch cinematographer responsible for shooting some of the greatest films of modern times — earning him the nickname “Master of Light” for his dazzling compositions of color and natural light — has passed away in Amsterdam just three months after celebrating his 78th birthday.

Müller’s family confirmed his death to the Dutch publication De Volksrant, stating that he had been seriously ill for a long time. As a cinematographer, Müller frequently worked with acclaimed directors like Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, and Lars von Trier, applying his unique visual style to some of their best films.

Legendary writer Harlan Ellison passed away in his sleep on June 27, 2018 at the age of 84. Known as one of the most diverse science fiction writers of his time, Ellison worked in a variety of mediums during his career. Be it short stories, novellas, scripts, or comics, he was able to create some extraordinarily memorable works.

His attitude was probably what made him most famous within the literary world. He even referred to himself as “possibly the most contentious person on Earth.” Nonetheless his achievements were myriad and his fan base immense.

Margot Kidder, best known to legions of cinema-goers as Lois Lane in Christopher Reeve-starring Superman movies, died in her sleep on Sunday at her home in Montana, according to MSN. She was 69. At the time of this posting, the cause of death was not publicly disclosed.

Multi-faceted and talented musician and composer Bob Dorough passed away last week. The 94-year-old is best remembered for his southern fried twangy voice on those superbly memorably catchy three-minute Schoolhouse Rock! songs, which taught generations how to do Math, English, Science, and History correctly with a verve and moxie that not only permeates throughout the songs, but also to this very day.

For many who were kids in the early 1970s, Schoolhouse Rock! was unlike any other program before or since. It became a Saturday Morning Television staple for over two decades. In terms of its look, the design, flavor, and direction, which was mired in a kind of urban meets suburban feel, the cartoon was pioneering alone. But it was the music that really sent it over the top, making it the now legendary and seminal program in the history of the medium educating children that Schoolhouse Rock! remains.