Just more than two weeks after the world lost one the greatest singing voices ever to be heard, the opulent funeral planned to send off Aretha Franklin to her final resting place was set to be held Friday morning in the Queen of Soul’s longtime hometown of Detroit.
The private “homecoming” services, complete with a eulogy delivered by former President Barack Obama, were scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time. However, a public ceremony was supposed to start at 10 a.m. immediately afterward so that her devoted fans can participate, as well.
The funeral was expected to end around 3:30 p.m.
Some of the meticulous details planned for the funeral include lining the streets of Detroit with pink Cadillacs, honoring both her hometown as well as her 1985 chart-topping hit by the same name. The services were also expected to be “unapologetically Black,” Georgetown University professor Micheal Eric Dyson, who is from Detroit, told the Associated Press.
“She was our voice for half a century,” Dyson told the AP. “She gave expression to our desires” —spiritual, political and sexual. “She was a full-service queen. She was the people’s diva.”
Afterward, performances from celebrated singers such as Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan were scheduled along with speeches and readings from others.
Aretha Franklin died Aug. 16 from pancreatic cancer. Her unrivaled singing voice helped her create timeless hits like “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” on her way to being rightfully crowned as the Queen of Soul. She released dozens of studio albums and ultimately becoming the first woman to ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Watch the funeral live below.
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WATCH LIVE: Aretha Franklin Funeral Service (6-Hour-Event) was originally published on newsone.com
