Hundreds Attend the Home Going Service of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul has been laid to rest and hundreds gathered to pay their final respects.

Aretha Franklin died after a longtime battle with pancreatic cancer on Aug. 16. But her years as a legendary artist were honored on Friday at Detroit’s Greater Grace Church where pink Cadillacs lined the street capturing the essence of her 80s hit “Freeway of Love.”

The interior of her funeral included floral arrangements from #DianaRoss, #TonyBennett and #BarbraStreisand, while white and pink flowers cascaded across the front of the church with a sign that read “A Celebration Fit for the Queen.”⠀

The funeral was truly a beautiful home going with notable guests including Reverends #JesseJackson and #AlSharpton to U.S. Rep. #MaxineWaters and Michigan Gov. #RickSnyder to Motown legend #MarthaReeves, #FaithHill, #WhoopiGoldberg, the Clintons and more. Among those who spoke on the queen’s impressive career were #CliveDavis, and Sharpton who spoke to her influence within the civil rights movement.

Some of the performers included #ArianaGrande who sang “You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman),” Faith Hill who took on “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Tyler Perry’s speech initially started off as a reflection of who Franklin was as an artist but then turned into an intimate trip down memory lane as the media mogul noted what Franklin meant to him and culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDe00YCpQLM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdpjCbmLHN4

“When Aretha sang ‘Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,’ it never sounded so sweet. When Aretha sang gospel, she connected the creator with the created. Something shifted in the atmosphere. I’m so grateful to God that Aretha walked this earth,” said Perry.