Aretha Franklin’s Funeral Will Be 6 1/2 Hours Long

Source: The Washington Post / Getty

Aretha Franklin is getting a send off worthy of a Queen!

According to E! News, the Queen of Soul’s celebration of life will run for six and a half hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan, on Friday. As previously reported, artists like Faith Hill, Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson and more will be paying tribute to the legend with thoughtful performances.

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Franklin’s own music will be played during the viewing from 8:30 to 9:50 a.m. Hill will then kick off the celebrity performances at 10:40 a.m. Grande will perform at 11 a.m., followed by a performance by The Clark Sisters. Former president Bill Clinton will speak at 12:05 p.m. Various acknowledgments and reflections will be shared until 12:36 p.m. when Chaka Khan will perform. 

The Word Network will live stream the event here. See the full 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.

WATCH LIVE: Aretha Franklin visitation in Detroit – Follow updates at > kissdetroit.com/category/aretha-franklin

(The seven candles at the head represent the seven stars, which are the angles. The seven candlesticks at the foot 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

10:45-11:00 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

11:00-11:05 a.m. Musical Tribute: Ariana Grande

11:05-11:10 a.m. Musical Tribute: The Clark Sisters

11:10am-11:15 a.m. Acknowledgments 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

11:55-12:00 p.m Musical Tribute: Audrey DuBois Harris

12:00-12:15 p.m. Personal Remarks:

12:00 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

WATCH LIVE: Aretha Franklin visitation in Detroit – Follow updates at kissdetroit.com/category/aretha-franklin

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

1:00 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

1:53-2:00 p.m. Musical Tribute: Bishop Marvin Sapp and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir

2:00-2:05 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

2:45-3:00 p.m. Committal and Recessional: Jennifer Holliday and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir

Franklin died on Aug. 16 from pancreatic cancer. She was 76. See more in the video below. 

WATCH LIVE: Aretha Franklin visitation in Detroit – Follow updates at kissdetroit.com/category/aretha-franklin

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Thousands Of Fans Pay Their Respects To Aretha Franklin In Detroit

14 photos