An all-star line-up that includes some of the top names in entertainment and politics will participate in the funeral service dubbed a Celebration of Life for Aretha Franklin in Detroit, Michigan on Friday.
The likes of Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan are among a host of A-list performers, while former President Bill Clinton, Rev Jesse Jackson and Smokey Robinson, all close friends of Franklin, are among the speakers expected at a send-off fit for a queen!
After lying in repose for two days at the Detroit Museum of African American history, Aretha Franklin’s gold casket was loaded into a 1940 Cadillac La Salle hearse and will re-appear at the venue for Friday’s Celebration of Life at the 4 000-seater Greater Grace Temple which also hosted the funeral service for civil rights icon Rosa Parks in 2005.
Thousands came to pay their last respect to the legendary singer who died on 16 August after a battle with pancreatic cancer, aged 76. “So that’s a real emotional moment for me. I was saying, I hope I don’t break down and cry, but I did cry a little bit, because she was just, you know, a part of our life and our family in every area,” says one of the fans.
Another one says;” It was very emotional. The whole thing is very emotional. You know somebody that’s been around, never met the lady personally, but feel a connection you wouldn’t believe.”
“Just like you lost a sister, like you lost a friend, you know, somebody you grew up with all your life, you know, just, like, she’s gone, you know,” says an emotional fan.
Former President Barack Obama, at whose inauguration and White House Aretha Franklin regularly performed, will not be in attendance at the funeral, but has sent a letter that will be read by the Rev Al Sharpton. The service will also reflect Franklin’s strong gospel roots.
Her close friend Rev Jesse Jackson recalled her last days while speaking at the New Bethel Baptist Church recently. “She had been out of it several days, I said, ‘read Jesse, read, read, read,’ she opened her eyes quickly and embraced my arm and we began to cry. We kept praying, we kept singing and asked that the lord’s will be done. “
Motown great Smokey Robinson was just eight years old when he met Aretha after her family moved from Buffalo New York to Detroit. “She made her the queen. So I mean, you know, God had his hand in it because it is his plan. But she made her the queen of soul. You know she had that voice and she was the original and she could sing anything. They called her the Queen of Soul but Aretha could sing anything you put in front of her – opera, soul, gospel, jazz, whatever it was. In fact her career started with her singing, other than singing in her father’s church or churches around the country where he would go and minister, she started singing jazz for Columbia Records and her first two or three albums were all jazz and she sang the *** out of it. So she was just a great, great singer.”
Madonna paid tribute at the recent Video Music Awards in New York. “She led me to where I am today, and I know she influenced so many people in this house tonight, in this room tonight. And I want to thank you Aretha for empowering all of us. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Long live the queen.”
Musical tributes will include Aretha’s son Edward Franklin, the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir, Grammy winners Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson to name just a few.
