Star-studded lineup for Aretha Franklin funeral
Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill and many more to perform Friday at Detroit church
Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Chaka Khan, Faith Hill and gospel stars Shirley Caesar and Yolanda Adams will be among the performers at Aretha Franklin’s funeral in Detroit on Friday, a spokesperson for Franklin’s family announced.
Franklin, who died this month of pancreatic cancer at age 76, will be celebrated at a private ceremony Friday at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
Among the other musicians expected to perform at the event are Jennifer Holliday, Ronald Isley, Fantasia, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, the Clark Sisters and Franklin’s son Edward.
The Rev. Jasper Williams Jr., of Salem Baptist Church in Atlanta, will deliver the eulogy, and Bishop Charles H. Ellis III, pastor of Greater Grace Temple, will be the officiant. Greater Grace, which holds 4,000 people, was the site of Rosa Parks’ funeral in 2005, where Franklin sang “The Impossible Dream” from the musical Man of La Mancha.
In her career, Franklin won 18 competitive Grammy awards, sang at the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009, and sang at concerts for Jimmy Carter in 1977 and Bill Clinton in 1993.
Clinton, Smokey Robinson, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Cicely Tyson will be among the speakers at the funeral.
Franklin’s rep, Gwendolyn Quinn, says other speakers will include former U.S. attorney-general Eric Holder, music mogul Clive Davis, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Bishop T.D. Jakes.
Clinton and the Queen of Soul were longtime friends and she sang at both of his inaugurations. Robinson and Franklin grew up together in Detroit.