Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

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Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson & More To Sing At Aretha Franklin's Funeral

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Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson and Faith Hill are some of the all-star talent performing at the iconic singer's service on Aug. 31
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Aug 24, 2018 - 2:47 pm

A list of GRAMMY-winning talent will sing their goodbyes to the late Aretha Franklin during her funeral on Aug 31.

Aretha Franklin's GRAMMY Highlights

Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Shirley Caesar, Chaka Khan, and more will perform at the service that will take place at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on Aug. 31, The Associated Press reports. The funeral will be limited to Franklin's family and friends only.

Other performers include GRAMMY winners Yolanda Adams and Jennifer Holliday, Ron Isley and Franklin's son, Edward Franklin. The service will honor the iconic singer's gospel background and will also feature performances by gospel stars that include GRAMMY nominees Marvin Sapp and Vanessa Bell Armstrong.

Smokey Robinson, Clive Davis, Rev. Al Sharpton and Former President Bill Clinton are among the scheduled speakers at the service.

Fans will be able to say their goodbyes to Franklin at a public viewing in at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on Aug. 28-29. A public concert is also scheduled for Aug 30.

Franklin, who died of pancreatic cancer at 76, leaves a musical legacy that includes 18 GRAMMY wins, a GRAMMY Legend Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and five recordings in the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. She will be buried at Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery where along with other family members, including her father and sisters.

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Aretha Franklin_122718

Aretha Franklin

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All-Star Lineup To Pay Tribute At "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul"

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A historic CBS tribute to be broadcast in 2019 will tape at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. on Jan. 13, 2019 with performances by GRAMMY winners and 61st GRAMMY Award nominees
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 27, 2018 - 6:31 am

The Recording Academy's tradition of tribute specials continue with "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul," a one-of-a-kind tribute concert and passionate remembrance of Aretha Franklin. The special will be taped on Jan. 13 and aired sometime in 2019 on CBS with performances from outstanding GRAMMY winners and nominees.

Aretha Franklin's GRAMMY Highlights

GRAMMY winners celebrating her legendary repertoire include Yolanda Adams, Andra Day, Shirley Caesar, Alessia Cara, Kelly Clarkson, Common, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and BeBe Winans. They will be joined in song and tribute by artists nominated for the 61st GRAMMY Awards — coming soon on Feb. 10, 2019 — Brandi Carlile, Chloe X Halle, H.E.R., Janelle Monáe, and SZA.

"For more than six decades, her extraordinary artistic achievements coupled with her passionate dedication to her philanthropic work — which ranged from children's and artists' issues to civil rights activism — served as a testament to her power, majesty, and genius," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "These gifts positioned her as a true cultural icon, and the Recording Academy is honored to celebrate her inspirational legacy"

The unforgettable night will be hosted by movie and television actor, writer, director, and producer Tyler Perry. "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" is presented together with AEG Ehrlich Ventures, CBS and Clive Davis.

"Aretha was more than the Queen of Soul; she was a national treasure," said Davis. "This unique concert — featuring many of today's greatest artists — will celebrate Aretha in a spectacular manner befitting her once-in-a-lifetime talent."

Presale tickets for this live concert at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium will go on sale Friday, Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. PST (use code "Aretha"), with general tickets going on sale Monday, Dec. 31 at 10 a.m. PST via AXS.com. Stay tuned for additional unique performance announcements as the special night approaches.

Aretha Franklin's GRAMMY History: Remembering The Queen Of Soul

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

Photo: ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

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Patti LaBelle, John Legend, SZA, Alicia Keys, Common & More Celebrate Aretha Franklin

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Artists across generations and genres convened to celebrate the beloved singer's life with moving performances and tributes at "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul"
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 5, 2019 - 10:41 am

On Jan. 13, 2019, the historic Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles was filled with cheers, laughter and some tears as dozens of stars took to the stage to pay tribute to the late GRAMMY-winning icon Aretha Franklin with a special concert called Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul.

Hosted by actor and comedian Tyler Perry, the talent-filled show featured performances from artists spanning generations, including Patti LaBelle, Alicia Keys, SZA, Janelle Monáe, John Legend, Yolanda Adams, Common, Alessia Cara, Brandi Carlile, Chloe x Halle, Celine Dion, Fantasia, H.E.R. and more.

Brandi Carlile, Jennifer Hudson, More Honor Aretha

Moving Musical Tributes

Every tribute had the packed auditorium either dancing or swaying in their seats; at times the crowd was even moved to standing ovations. As recent first-time GRAMMY winning R&B artist H.E.R. said during her backstage interview, "I don't know one singer that doesn't listen to Aretha Franklin."

H.E.R. brought out her guitar and silky vocals as she sang "I Say A Little Prayer For You." Meanwhile, Fantasia hit all the high notes with grace as fellow GRAMMY winner Rob Thomas joined her for a lively duet of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)," Aretha's 1986 song with GRAMMY winner George Michael.

H.E.R. Honors Aretha Franklin

GRAMMY winner Yolanda Adams also gave two stunning performances, one a rousing nod to Aretha's gospel choir beginnings with a moving medley with fellow GRAMMY-winning gospel singers Shirley Caesar and Bebe Winans.

Earlier in the evening, GRAMMY-winning rapper and social justice advocate Common joined her for a powerful performance of "Young, Gifted And Black," which brought the whole crowd into a booming standing ovation. The song was originally written and recorded by Nina Simone and covered a few years later by Aretha as the GRAMMY-winning title track for her 18th studio album.

Patti LaBelle: No One Can Channel Aretha Franklin

Performers also included GRAMMY-nominated R&B sister duo Chloe x Halle, who sang "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves" in coordinating sparkly fringe dresses. GRAMMY-winning Godmother Of Soul Patti LaBelle took it home as she wowed with "Call Me" in a shimmery black pantsuit number. She closing the song singing "We love you Aretha, we'll never forget you," to another standing ovation.

Alicia Keys and John Legend bookended the evening with their powerful voices and mesmerizing piano skills, Keys offering a medley with GRAMMY-nominated R&B singer SZA while Legend took on "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

More Aretha Accolades

In addition to performances from Aretha's admirers and peers, the show featured moving speeches and archival footage, which offered background to the songs and recounted milestones from Aretha's career, including videos of her singing at both Bill Clinton's and Barack Obama's Presidential inaugurations.

Fellow GRAMMY-winning, Detroit-raised music icon Smokey Robinson even took it way back as he shared the heartfelt story of meeting a six-year-old Aretha, whom he said would go on to become his "life-long friend" and the "Princess Of Soul." Another longtime friend and music industry icon, GRAMMY-winning producer and all around legend Clive Davis, also gave a powerful speech, asserting "there will never ever be another Aretha."

Stay tuned to GRAMMY.com to watch several full performances from the evening, to be released soon.

You can also sign up for our newly relaunched weekly newsletter and subscribe to our YouTube channel for keep up with all of our fresh GRAMMY video content and news.

Aretha Franklin's GRAMMY History: Remembering The Queen Of Soul

Diane Warren

Diane Warren

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'RBG' End-Credits Song "I'll Fight" Was Written To Show Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Power

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Superstar songwriter Diane Warren wanted to pen a strong anthem for the film and says Jennifer Husdon was the perfect singer for it
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 11, 2019 - 12:56 pm

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg-inspired film On The Basis Of Sex is out today, but an equally powerful documentary about the Supreme Court justice has been available to watch since early 2018. The doc also boasts a powerful anthem "I'll Fight" (performed by GRAMMY winner Jennifer Hudson) written by a GRAMMY-winner that knows a thing or two about writing music for inspiring people at the head of the courtroom. 

Songwriter Diane Warren, who also wrote the GRAMMY-nominated "Stand Up For Something" from the motion picture Marshall based on the life of Thurgood Marshall, wanted to pen a strong anthem for the film.

"I wanted it to show that she is a fighter, and this is what she’d been doing for years, even before she was on the Supreme Court bench," Warren told ASCAP.

Bader Ginsberg or RBG as she's fondly called sometimes, has not only been seen as influential in court cases, including those of same-sex marriage, but she has battled cancer three times. In Dec., she "underwent a pulmonary lobectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center … to remove two malignant nodules in her left lung," the Washington Post reported. Post the procedure, doctors said there was no evidence of the disease remaining.

Warren's career is impressive in its own right having written songs for Beyoncé and Aerosmith, and had her songs featured in over 100 movies. She said Hudson helped bring this particular song to life.

"I loved the dichotomy of getting Jennifer Hudson to sing it, because [RBG] speaks so softly, but so powerfully," Warren said. "It’s almost like Jennifer Hudson’s voice became her avatar - because that’s what she really sounds like to us. She’s a diva! She’s a notorious RBG. So I didn’t want it to be soft. I wanted it to have power."

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Yolanda Adams 

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Yolanda Adams To Honor Neil Diamond On "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends"

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The GRAMMY-winning gospel/R&B singer pays tribute to the iconic Neil Diamond during a concert celebrating the Recording Academy's 2018 Special Merit Awards recipients that will air on PBS on Oct. 5
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Sep 28, 2018 - 5:21 pm

GRAMMY-winning Gospel/ R&B singer Yolanda Adams' vocal talent is mesmerizing. She's used her voice to pay tribute to icons such as the late Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston, and soon you'll be able to watch her pay tribute to living legend, Neil Diamond.

Yolanda Adams To Honor Neil Diamond

On the upcoming "GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends," the energetic performer has what she calls "double duty" as host the spectacular tribute show and performer, honoring Diamond through song. Adams shares that her love for Diamonds music was passed down to her.

"When I was growing up, my mom and dad played a lot of his music," she told the Recording Academy. "So, listening to his songwriting, the way he would use words to get a message that wasn't like so overt, you know, I liked that about it, so he definitely influenced my writing."

Watch the performance during the special tribute concert that will air on PBS at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5 (check your local listings) and will be available to stream the following day via pbs.org/gperf.

"GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends" To Air On PBS Oct. 5