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Aretha Home From The Hospital

The Queen of Soul won't be wearing a hospital gown Thursday as she celebrates her 62nd birthday.

Aretha Franklin smiled and gave the thumbs up sign to a group a waiting fans Wednesday afternoon as she was released from Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit, her hometown.

Her doctor, Claud Young, tells WDIV-TV that the singer apparently had a reaction to penicillin while on her way home from Chicago to Detroit Saturday.

That's when she was admitted to the hospital.

Young says Franklin was coughing up blood and had a reduced platelet level, a problem that has since been corrected by medication.

Young says her illness appears to be an isolated event.

Franklin, whose soulful voice has made her one of the world's most revered singers, is known for numerous hits including her signature song "Respect," "(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman," "Baby I Love You," "Chain of Fools" and "Freeway of Love."

The daughter of a Baptist preacher famous for his fiery sermons, Franklin started out singing in the church choir and - with her dad's encouragement and connections to the major gospel artists of the day - was making records by the age of 14.

She's worked with a wide variety of artists in her nearly five-decade long career, including Burt Bachrach, Luther Vandross, Annie Lennox, George Michael, Sly Stone, Elton John, James Brown, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

The legendary singer continues to tour and has yet to slow down.

Last month, she won a Grammy Award for best traditional R&B vocal performance for "Wonderful" from her latest CD, "So Damn Happy."

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