Franklin services are fit for a Queen
Thousands of fans have traveled to Detroit this week to pay their respects to Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, who died of pancreatic cancer on Aug. 16. ❚ From a hearse that carried Rosa Parks to a moving gospel remembrance, this week has been all about celebrating Franklin’s memory. The week of tribute events in Detroit, which have included several concerts and a widely attended public viewing, culminate Friday with Franklin’s star-studded funeral, expected to draw dignitaries, musicians and other high-profile figures from around the world. ❚ See how Franklin’s fans have remembered her legendary life through this week’s various celebrations, and read more about Friday’s funeral events.
Remembering Aretha through gospel
Detroit’s week of remembrances kicked off Monday with a gospel tribute that honored Franklin at New Bethel Baptist Church, where she launched her music career. Like a church service in song, the event featured the 100-voice Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir, made up of members of churches from throughout Detroit.
Included in the choir was Dorinda Clark Cole of the Grammy-award winning Clark Sisters; Evelyn Turrentine Agee; Sandra Feva, who sang background for Franklin for many years; and recording artist and nowevangelist, Laura Lee.
Fans pay respects at public visitation
Franklin looked resplendent in a crimson dress and matching high heels in her gold casket during the first day of a public visitation at Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The second day, she was was dressed in a sheer light-blue dress and matching shoes. Franklin’s body was brought to the museum in a white 1940 Cadillac LaSalle hearse, the same vehicle used to carry Rosa Parks’ body in 2005.
After the long line of fans finished paying their respects to Franklin Tuesday night, members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, of which Franklin was an honorary member, honored her with an Omega Omega ceremony, a final rite given to deceased members. About 1,000 women from across the country gathered for the ceremony with a small group of Franklin’s fam- ily and friends.
Stars remember Aretha onstage
At her tour stop Tuesday night in Detroit, Taylor Swift brought a hush for a minute of silence remembering Franklin.
“Detroit, last week we lost an irreplaceable force,” Swift told the Ford Field audience. “Aretha Franklin did so much for music. She did so much for women’s rights. She did so much for civil rights.”
Tribute concert honors Aretha’s legacy
Following a public viewing on Thursday to accommodate members of Franklin’s congregation, a tribute concert was planned for Thursday night at Detroit’s Chene Park Amphitheatre. Dubbed “A People’s Tribute to the Queen,” free tickets for the show sold out in seconds Monday, with fans eager to see performers including Gladys Knight, the Four Tops and Johnny Gill.
All about Friday’s blockbuster funeral
Held at Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple, Franklin’s funeral will bring her week of tributes to a close with a livestreamed, all-day ceremony, scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET. The service is limited to family members, friends and selected guests. Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande are among the performers lined up to sing at the funeral, with other names including Faith Hill, Ronald Isley, Chaka Khan, Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson.
Franklin will be honored by high-profile speakers, including former President Bill Clinton, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Motown star Smokey Robinson, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Detroit Pistons great Isiah Thomas.
Although Franklin sang at President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration, he and former first lady Michelle Obama won’t be in Detroit for the funeral. The couple did send a letter, which the Rev. Al Sharpton will read during the service.
After the funeral, Franklin will be buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, alongside late family members including her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin.
How to watch the funeral
Franklin’s funeral is limited to invited guests – but the world will be able to watch.
The Friday service will be made available for viewing live online and on television. National broadcasters including HLN and the Word Network plan to air the funeral in its entirety, though HLN will occasionally break in for headline updates.
Franklin’s funeral also will be livestreamed, including on usatoday.com and by USA TODAY on Facebook.
For TV viewers in Detroit, the service will be broadcast live by several stations. Nationally, Fox News, MSNBC and CNN plan to air portions of the service live, representatives of those networks confirmed.
The funeral service will also be aired in its entirety on SiriusXM satellite radio’s Channel 49, the soul-music station that’s been temporarily dubbed “The Aretha Franklin Tribute Channel.” The channel will take calls from listeners after the service.
The Detroit Free Press contributed this report.