Aretha Franklin has 'successful' surgery

The Queen of Soul has emerged from surgery and thanked her fans for their support.

Aretha Franklin reported that her surgery was "highly successful," in a statement released Thursday.

"I had superb doctors and nurses whom were blessed by all the prayers of the city [of Detroit] and the country."

The 68-year-old Franklin announced in November that she was cancelling all scheduled concerts and personal appearances through May, upon orders from her doctors. She has not revealed what she was being treated for.

Fans gathered in downtown Detroit Wednesday to hold a community prayer vigil for the singer ahead of her undisclosed procedure.

Broke ribs in fall

Among Franklin's most recentperformances was a July concert in Philadelphia that also featured U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on piano. Since then, however, Franklin has had a trying second half of 2010.

In August, she was forced to cancel several shows after suffering a fall at home and breaking two ribs. The next month, her son Eddie underwent emergency surgery after being attacked at a Detroit gas station.

Franklin was also admitted to a Detroit hospital in late October for undisclosed reasons and released a few days later.

The acclaimed soul singer has received many honours over the years, including the U.S. National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She wasthe first female recording artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The multiple-Grammy recipient and lifetime achievement award-winner was also nominated for yet another one this week, with her Ron Isley duet You've Got a Friend in the running for best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals.