Aretha Franklin's funeral is a fittingly glamorous 'celebration of life'


Aretha Franklin's funeral is honoring the Queen of Soul with pink Cadillacs and musical tributes galore.
Franklin, who died earlier this month at age 76, is being celebrated Friday in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Mourners have visited the legendary singer at several public viewings this week, including at a Detroit church where her father was a pastor.
Her body arrived at the Greater Grace Temple in a white hearse and gold-plated casket, reports The Associated Press, dressed in a sparkling gold gown and sequined heels. Guests rolled in for the event with signature Franklin style, arriving in 130 pink Cadillacs, a tribute to her song "Freeway of Love."
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The funeral, which her family has called a "celebration of life," is scheduled to run into the afternoon, with a six-hour service that will feature performances from Stevie Wonder, Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, and many other musicians. Attendees applauded as former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton entered the church; the former president will speak, along with Rev. Jesse Jackson and singer Smokey Robinson.
CNN reports that lavish floral arrangements from friends of Franklin's, like Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross, filled the church lobby. The walls of the church, meanwhile, featured a nod to Franklin's enduring legacy with a projection that read "A Celebration Fit for the Queen." Watch a livestream of the event here at The Week.
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Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
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