CHICAGO (AFP) - Aretha Franklin, who has reigned as the Queen of Soul for some 50 years, has announced plans to return to her home town of Detroit and open a nightclub.

The 75-year-old told the Detroit Free Press newspaper she wanted to open a nightclub in downtown Detroit during her retirement where she would occasionally perform.

"From time to time, I would sing. I would have special artists come in to perform for the city whom people in Detroit like," she added.

The club would be called Aretha's.

Franklin, who has won 18 Grammys, noted that this would be her "last year in concert".

She had announced a pending retirement earlier this year, but only after finishing a final album featuring Stevie Wonder.