Aretha’s farewell: Thousands pay respects to Queen of Soul (in her red stilettos)
IN GLEAMING red stilettos with her legs crossed elegantly at the ankles, the Queen of Soul is a diva to the end.
Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets yesterday to pay their final respects to Aretha Franklin.
The late singer’s gold-plated coffin arrived in a classic white LaSalle sedan as the crowd cheered.
Her open coffin was then put on public display for two days at the Charles H Wright Museum of African-American History in Detroit, Michigan.
Yesterday mourners, who had come from as far away as Las Vegas and Miami, said their farewells to the singer, who died aged 76 two weeks ago after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Many had slept on the pavement all night, hoping to be among the first to see her. Tammy Gibson, 49, of Chicago, arrived at 5.30am. She said: ‘I know people are sad, but it’s just celebrating – people dancing and singing her music.’
Kelly Major Green, a board member at the museum, said Aretha’s outfit communicated power, reflecting her personality. The shoes, in particular, showed ‘the Queen of Soul is diva to the end’, she added. Paula Marie Seniors, an associate professor of Africana studies at Virginia Tech, said: ‘She is being honoured almost like a queen at one of the most important black museums in the United States.’ The singer’s funeral will be held on Friday at Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple. Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson and Stevie Wonder are among those due to sing.