Aretha, 74, Will Never Sing Again!

TRAGIC soul singer Aretha Franklin is being ravaged by a lung condition that will silence her legendary voice forever — and put her in the grave!

That’s the shocking fears of Aretha’s friends who say chronic breathing problems and her whopping 293-pound waistline forced the 5-foot-5 R&B songbird to quit her current tour — and retire for good.

“Her lung damage has caught up with her,” declares a longtime friend. “It’s very bad. “Aretha may never sing again! And, even if she does, she no longer has the power to belt the songs out like she used to.”

A heavy smoker for many years, the 74-year-old “R-E-SP-E-C-T” diva was seen gasping for air on her current tour.

Then on Aug. 22, she announced that “due to doctors’ orders, I will have to cancel a few concerts for the next month or so.”

Aretha promised to be back on the road in November. But medical specialists aren’t sure.