Watch Bill Clinton recall his life as an 'Aretha Franklin groupie'
Aretha Franklin's funeral was slated to be a "celebration" of the soul queen's life, and former President Bill Clinton took that label seriously.
Franklin, who died at 76 earlier this month, was honored Friday with a glitzy memorial service that went far beyond its planned six hours. While Ariana Grande brought the pop and Rev. Al Sharpton took on the political, Clinton opted for a personal reflection on Franklin's influential career.
Clinton said that he and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "started out not as a president and a first lady ... but as Aretha groupies" in the years after they graduated from college. And after Franklin performed at his inauguration celebration in 1993, that fandom turned into friendship. They bonded as Franklin became "the composer of her own life song," Clinton said, and he made sure to take note of what she was wearing along the way.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Clinton and Franklin's jokes lasted right up until what turned out to be Franklin's last show. Even though Franklin was obviously ailing from pancreatic cancer, she "summoned" Clinton backstage, stood up, and asked "How're you doing, baby?," he recalled. Then, Clinton said, she powered through "not one song, not two songs," but a whole 45-minute performance.
A spectacular show was the perfect end to the queen's career, a fact Clinton made obvious by giving Franklin the last word in his eulogy as well. Kathryn Krawczyk
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Why is Putin 'de-exonerating' Stalin's victims?
Under the radar Russian president has 'insatiable impulse' to 'rewrite history', say commentators
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Shahnaz Habib's 6 favorite books that explore different cultures
Feature The essayist and translator recommends works by Vivek Shanbhag, Adania Shibli, and more
By The Week US Published
-
'Why is the expansion of individual autonomy necessarily always good?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published