A long goodbye to the Queen of Soul ends with Stevie Wonder, summing her life up in a word: LOVE (VIEW SERVICE SCHEDULE)
While the who's who of entertainment filled the pulpit and front row seats at the service organizers opened up 1,000 seats to the public, who has started gathering at 2:00 a.m Many stations that carried it dropped the broadcast after 3 or 4 hours, but those providing the live stream online were in it for the long haul so fans from around the world could have a part in giving the Queen o Soul her propers as she took her final rest.
The service lasted four hours pass its scheduled time despite every person on the program attempting to respect the time they were given. And for this die-hard fan, the one of a kind musical monument, Aretha Franklin deserved every minute in addition to the tributes that that occurred prior to the funeral and the many that will follow.
At 6:21 p.m., Stevie Wonder emerged on onto the platform with his signature hair covered in a black cloth symbolizing he was in mourning. He proceeded to play the Lord's Prayer flawlessly on his harmonica. Most people at Franklin's Celebration of Life Service identified her with respect, but her friend and collaborator Stevie summed up her life with another word: LOVE.
In reflecting on his friend's legacy Wonder said:
"We would not have known Aretha, were it not for God. Please remember the greatest gift that we have been given in life itself is love." The Love's in Need of Love Today singer said the only thing that can deliver us is love Continuing in the spirit of Civil Rights and Christian brotherhood, Mr. Wonder said, "...We need to make love great again. Because Black Lives do matter, Because all lives do matter nd if we love God then we know it is our love that will make all things better That is what Aretha said throughout her life."
.
Concluding he asked the audience to join him in singing his classic "As" (I'll Be Loving You Always). Wonder's performance was followed by Jenifer Holliday who sang (Climbing A Highre Mounhtian Tryihng to Get Home" as the casket was taken away.
The initial schedule is listed below:
ARETHA FRANKLING FUNERAL PROGRAM SCHEDULE
The joy is knowing that she will hve aternal life of bliss with the ost high.
View the program schedule below:
8:30 – 9:50 a.m.— Viewing — Recorded Songs by Aretha
9:30-9:50 a.m. — Musical Prelude — Aretha Franklin Orchestra
9:50-10:00 a.m. — Lighting of Candles — Swanson Funeral Home, Inc. (The
seven candles at the head represent the seven stars, which are the angels.
The seven candle sticks at the front to represent the seven churches. We feel that we are living in the days of Revelation. Rev. 1:20)
10:00-10:20 a.m. — Processional — Clergy, Ministers and Family
10:20-10:25 a.m. — Prayer of Comfort — Dr. E.L. Branch, Pastor, Third New Hope Church
10:25-10:40 a.m. — Scripture of Comfort:
10:25 a.m. — Old Testament — Bishop T.D. Jakes, Potter’s House, Dallas, TX
10:30 a.m. — New Testament — Pastor Solomon Kinloch, Triumph Church
10:35 a.m. — The 23rd Psalm — Bishop P.A. Brooks, Pastor, New St. Paul Tabernacle Church
10:40-10:45 a.m. — Musical Tribute — Faith Hill
10:45-11 a.m. — Remarks:
10:45 a.m. — Mike Duggan — Mayor, City of Detroit
10:50 a.m. — Brenda Jones — City Council President
10:55 a.m. — Governor Rick Snyder, State of Michigan
11-11:05 a.m. — Musical Tribute — Ariana Grande
11:05-11:10 a.m. — Musical Tribute — The Clark Sisters
11:10-11:15 a.m. — Acknowledgements and Condolences — Barbara Sampson
11:15-11:20 a.m. — Musical Tribute — The Williams Brothers & Vanessa Bell Armstrong
11:20-11:40 a.m. — Family Reflections — Vaughn, Cristal, Victorie & Jordan Franklin
11:40-11:45 a.m. — Family Musical Tribute — Edward Franklin
11:45-11:50 a.m. — Obituary— Sabrina Owens
11:50-11:55 a.m. — Musical Tribute — Alice McAllister Tillman
11:55-12 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Audrey DuBois Harris
12-12:15 p.m. — Personal Remarks:
12 p.m. — Eric Holder, Former U.S. Attorney General
12:05 p.m. — Former President, William (Bill) Jefferson Clinton
12:15-12:19 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Pastor Shirley Caesar and Tasha Cobbs-Leonard
12:19-12:36 p.m. — Personal Reflections:
12:19 p.m. — Greg Mathis, Retired Judge, 36th District Court, Detroit, MI
12:23 p.m. — Brenda Lawrence, State Representative, 14th Congressional District
12:27 p.m. — Rev. Donald L. Parsons, Logos Assembly Church, Chicago, IL
12:31 p.m. — Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder, National Action Network
12:36-12:41 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Chaka Khan
12:41-12:51 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Ron Isley
12:51 p.m. — Rev. Jesse Jackson, Founder/President Rainbow P.U.S.H. Coalition
1 p.m. — Dr. William J. Barber, II, Pastor, Greenleaf Christian Church, Goldsborough N.C.
1:05 p.m. — Rev. James Holley, Retired Pastor, New Light Missionary Baptist Church
1:10- 1:15 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Fantasia Barrino-Taylor
1:15-1:30 p.m. — Personal Reflections:
1:15 p.m. — Tyler Perry
1:17 p.m. — Cicely Tyson, Actress
1:20 p.m. — Clive Davis, Chief Creative Officer, Sony Music
1:25 p.m. — Smokey Robinson, Recording Artist
1:30-1:34 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Bishop Paul Morton and Yolanda Adams
1:34-1:53 p.m. — Personal Reflections:
1:34 p.m. — Mildred Gaddis, Radio Personality
1:38 p.m. — Isaiah Thomas, Former NBA Player, Detroit Pistons
1:42 p.m. — Ron Moten, Personal Friend, Franchise Owner, McDonald’s Restaurants
1:48 p.m. — Michael Eric Dyson, Professor of Sociology, Georgetown University
1:53- 2 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Bishop Marvin Sapp and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir
2-2:05 p.m. — Sermonic Selection — Jennifer Hudson
2:05-2:35 p.m. — Eulogy — Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr., Pastor, Salem Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA
2:35-2:45 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Stevie Wonder joined by National Artists
2:45-3 p.m. — Committal and Recessional — Jennifer Holliday and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir
9:30-9:50 a.m. — Musical Prelude — Aretha Franklin Orchestra
9:50-10:00 a.m. — Lighting of Candles — Swanson Funeral Home, Inc. (The
seven candles at the head represent the seven stars, which are the angels.
The seven candle sticks at the front to represent the seven churches. We feel that we are living in the days of Revelation. Rev. 1:20)
10:00-10:20 a.m. — Processional — Clergy, Ministers and Family
10:20-10:25 a.m. — Prayer of Comfort — Dr. E.L. Branch, Pastor, Third New Hope Church
10:25-10:40 a.m. — Scripture of Comfort:
10:25 a.m. — Old Testament — Bishop T.D. Jakes, Potter’s House, Dallas, TX
10:30 a.m. — New Testament — Pastor Solomon Kinloch, Triumph Church
10:35 a.m. — The 23rd Psalm — Bishop P.A. Brooks, Pastor, New St. Paul Tabernacle Church
10:40-10:45 a.m. — Musical Tribute — Faith Hill
10:45-11 a.m. — Remarks:
10:45 a.m. — Mike Duggan — Mayor, City of Detroit
10:50 a.m. — Brenda Jones — City Council President
10:55 a.m. — Governor Rick Snyder, State of Michigan
11-11:05 a.m. — Musical Tribute — Ariana Grande
11:05-11:10 a.m. — Musical Tribute — The Clark Sisters
11:10-11:15 a.m. — Acknowledgements and Condolences — Barbara Sampson
11:15-11:20 a.m. — Musical Tribute — The Williams Brothers & Vanessa Bell Armstrong
11:20-11:40 a.m. — Family Reflections — Vaughn, Cristal, Victorie & Jordan Franklin
11:40-11:45 a.m. — Family Musical Tribute — Edward Franklin
11:45-11:50 a.m. — Obituary— Sabrina Owens
11:50-11:55 a.m. — Musical Tribute — Alice McAllister Tillman
11:55-12 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Audrey DuBois Harris
12-12:15 p.m. — Personal Remarks:
12 p.m. — Eric Holder, Former U.S. Attorney General
12:05 p.m. — Former President, William (Bill) Jefferson Clinton
12:15-12:19 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Pastor Shirley Caesar and Tasha Cobbs-Leonard
12:19-12:36 p.m. — Personal Reflections:
12:19 p.m. — Greg Mathis, Retired Judge, 36th District Court, Detroit, MI
12:23 p.m. — Brenda Lawrence, State Representative, 14th Congressional District
12:27 p.m. — Rev. Donald L. Parsons, Logos Assembly Church, Chicago, IL
12:31 p.m. — Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder, National Action Network
12:36-12:41 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Chaka Khan
12:41-12:51 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Ron Isley
12:51 p.m. — Rev. Jesse Jackson, Founder/President Rainbow P.U.S.H. Coalition
1 p.m. — Dr. William J. Barber, II, Pastor, Greenleaf Christian Church, Goldsborough N.C.
1:05 p.m. — Rev. James Holley, Retired Pastor, New Light Missionary Baptist Church
1:10- 1:15 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Fantasia Barrino-Taylor
1:15-1:30 p.m. — Personal Reflections:
1:15 p.m. — Tyler Perry
1:17 p.m. — Cicely Tyson, Actress
1:20 p.m. — Clive Davis, Chief Creative Officer, Sony Music
1:25 p.m. — Smokey Robinson, Recording Artist
1:30-1:34 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Bishop Paul Morton and Yolanda Adams
1:34-1:53 p.m. — Personal Reflections:
1:34 p.m. — Mildred Gaddis, Radio Personality
1:38 p.m. — Isaiah Thomas, Former NBA Player, Detroit Pistons
1:42 p.m. — Ron Moten, Personal Friend, Franchise Owner, McDonald’s Restaurants
1:48 p.m. — Michael Eric Dyson, Professor of Sociology, Georgetown University
1:53- 2 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Bishop Marvin Sapp and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir
2-2:05 p.m. — Sermonic Selection — Jennifer Hudson
2:05-2:35 p.m. — Eulogy — Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr., Pastor, Salem Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA
2:35-2:45 p.m. — Musical Tribute — Stevie Wonder joined by National Artists
2:45-3 p.m. — Committal and Recessional — Jennifer Holliday and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir