Update!

Aretha Franklin's Son Beaten by Thugs

Detroit police probing attack that left the Eddie Franklin hospitalized with severe injuries

By Josh Grossberg Sep 21, 2010 2:28 PMTags
Aretha FranklinAP Photo/Ron Edmonds

UPDATE: Eddie Franklin was released from the hospital Tuesday, Sept. 21.
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Say a little prayer for Aretha Franklin's family.

The Queen of Soul's 52-year-old son, Eddie Franklin, underwent emergency oral surgery after he was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Detroit.

Aretha's spokeswoman told the Detroit News that Eddie was beset by two men and a woman at a gas station in the northwest section of Motor City and severely beaten.

Detroit police are investigating the incident but so far have not named any suspects or disclosed a possible motive.

The Franklin family has not released any further information on Eddie's condition but did note that the three assailants were African-Americans--one of the males was about six feet tall with dreadlocks and a dark complexion and the female was around 19 years of age.

Like his famous mother, Franklin is also a singer. But his career has been checkered at best. His most visible turn in the spotlight came supplying guest vocals to "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" from Aretha's A Woman Falling Out of Love, released earlier this year.

He was also a suspect in a 2002 fire that gutted Aretha's $1.6 million Detroit home, including destroying a number of mementos from the Grammy winner's iconic career that she hoped to donate to the Smithsonian. Eddie was eventually cleared in that case.

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Take a look back at Aretha singing at President Barack Obama's inauguration here.