The world-class line up for The Queen of Soul’s funeral has been announced. Aretha Franklin died earlier this month, August 16th, after a battle with advanced pancreatic cancer. She was 76. A private funeral open only to friends and family is scheduled at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on August 31st and the event’s performers have now been revealed.
Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson are among the main performers. Sharing the stage with Wonder, Hill and Hudson there will be performances from Chaka Khan, Fantasia, Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Holliday and Aretha Franklin’s son Edward are also expected to perform.
Gospel stars, including Marvin Sapp and Vanessa Bell Armstrong will also be performing while The Aretha Franklin Choir and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir are also on the programme. Fans can pay their respects to the music legend at a public open casket viewing in her hometown of Detroit.
Franklin’s body will lie in repose between 9am and 9pm on August 28th and 29th, where mourners will be able to attend the open casket viewing at the city’s Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Following her death, Franklin’s family said: “We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds.”
Liam Gallagher paid tribute to the late star during his set at Chelmsford’s RiZE Festival. He dedicated ‘Live Forever’ to her and displayed photos of Franklin on the big screen during the Beady Eye track ‘Soul Love’. Gallagher cited Franklin as having had “the best voice in the world”.
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