Detroit readies for Franklin tribute concert
DETROIT: Legendary singer Aretha Franklin’s casket is to lie in repose at her father’s church yesterday ahead of a tribute concert in her hometown here and what will be a “jubilant” starstudded funeral today.
Thousands of fans paid their respects at the open, golden casket of the music icon and “Queen of Soul”, who lay in state at the Charles H. Wright Museum for African American History on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The 76-year-old singer, beloved by millions around the world, died of cancer on Aug 16, closing the curtain on a glittering six-decade career that made her one of the US’ most celebrated artistes.
On the second night of the public viewing, a huge queue of young and old, from babies in strollers to elderly women leaning on crutches and sitting in wheelchairs, snaked half a mile to file past her coffin.
Some 15,000 people went on Tuesday, with a bigger crowd the next day, a museum official said.
A free concert honouring Franklin’s life was to kick off yesterday at the Chene Park Amphitheatre, an outdoor riverfront arena in downtown here that has 5,000 seats and 1,000 lawn spaces.
Headliners include Gladys Knight, The Four Tops, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Angela Davis and Angie Stone.
Today, former US president Bill Clinton and Smokey Robinson are among those due to address her six-hour, invitation-only funeral with musical tributes coming from Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande.