The Queen of Soul has been taken for granted, because Frankly, she's always been with us.

However, Aretha hasn't had a visible hit since the '80s, has had fleeting gospel and R&B success and, despite her valiant touring, has taken more potshots for her appearance in the past few years than for her timeless singing talent. She dissolved her relationship with her old label Arista in the early 2000s only to start her own imprint, which sat mostly dormant. However, Franklin flew back into the headlines these past few months due to her poor health, a surgical procedure and rumors about a deadly pancreatic cancer diagnosis. She was honored with a long segment at the Grammys, made a satellite appearance and has been swearing she'll be back on the road ASAP. Additionally, she's got her 38th album "Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love" due out in May, the same month she'll take the stage again.

Likelihood of a comeback: First set of solid new material in eight years, with some real press and a major story behind it? All eyes are on Aretha, but all ears are still in waiting for a verdict.