The author and sociologist Michael Eric Dyson, who attended the funeral, said outside that Ms. Franklin’s connection to people was built on more than that fabulous voice. “She represented a soul music tradition,” he said, “that really dug deep into the roots of gospel to tell the world the agonies, the ecstasies, the joy, the griefs of what it meant to be a woman, a black woman, a woman struggling for self-definition and humanity in a culture that refused to acknowledge our existence.” [Listen to 20 essential Aretha Franklin songs.] Born in Memphis in 1942, Ms. Franklin moved to Detroit as a young girl, and by her teenage years had a budding career as a gospel singer. With her father a celebrity preacher, their home was visited by black luminaries like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Ms. Franklin, following the path of Sam Cooke, soon made her way to pop. But it was not until 1967, with her first recordings on the Atlantic label — including smoldering songs like “Respect” and “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” — that she took on her full role as a cultural giant, adored not simply as a supreme vocal talent but also as a symbol of civil rights and women’s empowerment. “She was born in Memphis, Tenn., on the Mississippi River, and she understood the pain of segregation and rejection,” Mr. Jackson, a longtime friend, said in an interview in advance of the service. “Her gift was a spirit that penetrated, from ‘Ave Maria’ to ‘I Never Loved a Man’ to ‘Respect.’”<doc-sep>Although she sang at his 2009 inauguration and her voice moved him to tears at the Kennedy Center Honors Awards, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama won't be in Detroit Friday for the funeral of Aretha Franklin, their spokeswoman Katie Hill confirmed Wednesday. "Unfortunately, President and Mrs. Obama will not be able to attend Aretha Franklin’s services on Friday, but they have sent a letter, which the Rev. Al Sharpton will be reading during the service," Hill said. The ex-president is to give a eulogy along with former President George W. Bush Saturday morning at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., for the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who died Aug. 25. Bush, the Free Press previously reported, also sent a letter to be read at Franklin's funeral service. More:Dressed like a 'resplendent' queen, Aretha Franklin rests in gold casket Also:Fans pay final respects to Aretha during public visitation at Detroit museum Franklin, one of the best-selling artists of all time, died Aug. 16 of pancreatic cancer. She has a long history with those who hold the nation's highest office. She sang at President Jimmy Carter’s Inaugural Gala in 1977 and performed at former President Bill Clinton's inaugural ceremonies as well. In May 1999, Franklin performed for Clinton at the White House Correspondents Association's annual dinner, and later that year, the president awarded her with the National Medal of Arts and Humanities during a White House ceremony. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, and she famously sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at Obama's 2009 inauguration. Clinton will be among the speakers at Franklin's funeral, as will former Attorney General Eric Holder. Aretha Franklin funeral:Ariana Grande joins lineup of 20 singers The Obamas issued a statement following Franklin's Aug. 16 death, which read: "America has no royalty. But we do have a chance to earn something more enduring. Born in Memphis and raised in Detroit, Aretha Franklin grew up performing gospel songs in her father’s congregation. For more than six decades since, every time she sang, we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine. "Through her compositions and unmatched musicianship, Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade— our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance. "Aretha may have passed on to a better place, but the gift of her music remains to inspire us all. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. Michelle and I send our prayers and warmest sympathies to her family and all those moved by her song." The White House has not responded to a call and an email message from the Free Press about whether President Donald Trump or First Lady Melania Trump will attend. On the day she died, Trump told reporters: "I want to begin today by expressing my condolences to the family of a person I knew well. She worked for me on numerous occasions. She was terrific — Aretha Franklin — on her passing. She's brought joy to millions of lives and her extraordinary legacy will thrive and inspire many generations to come. She was given a great gift from God — her voice, and she used it well. People loved Aretha. She was a special woman. So just want to pass on my warmest best wishes and sympathies to her family." Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. Staff writer Brian McCollum contributed to this story.<doc-sep>Befitting a woman whose influence spanned decades and genres, Aretha Franklin’s eight-hour memorial service on Friday encompassed just about everyone and everything. In the 4,000-seat Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Franklin was eulogized by former presidents, entertainment titans, and religious figures: From Bill and Hillary Clinton and the Reverend Jesse Jackson to Clive Davis and Franklin’s grandchildren, every aspect of her life was represented. Letters from both Barack Obama and George W. Bush were read aloud. (Franklin, wrote Obama, reflected the “very best of the American story.”) Performers ranged from Ariana Grande to Cicely Tyson, who is almost four times Grande’s age yet exhibited more spunk and energy with her theatrical reading of “When Malindy Sings” (refashioned as “When Aretha Sings”) by the vital late 19th century African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. The tribute was sprawling, overwhelming and musically potent. Although the entire service was live-streamed, the viewpoint from inside the church was sometimes a bit different. Here are a few things you may not have noticed during the broadcast. Franklin’s impact was felt before everyone even walked into the church Seven Mile Road, the wide boulevard where the house of worship sits, was lined with families sitting on folding or beach chairs to pay their respects as limousines drove by. Two dueling Aretha T-shirt bootleggers also got into a brawl on one 7 Mile Corner. But Franklin’s influence, especially in the music world, was seen in the lobby, where massive floral arrangements from Barbra Streisand, “The Jackson Family,” Mariah Carey, the Four Tops, Tony Bennett and “The Carters” (yes, Jay-Z and Beyoncé) were on display. Hard to imagine too many performers who would be saluted by such a variety of peers. Gospel went over better than pop It may not have been easy to tell on TV or online, but sacred music electrified the thousands inside Greater Grace Temple more than the pop star appearances. Faith Hill, one of the first performers of the day, tackled the Christian hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and Ariana Grande offered up a relatively reined-in rendition of “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman.” While those performances were respectfully received, it was the spiritual numbers that repeatedly brought the crowd to its collective feet. Local gospel heroines the Clark Sisters unleashed magnificent three-power harmonies in “Is My Living in Vain,” and the Williams Brothers and Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s call-and-response at the end of “Precious Memories” (which Franklin herself once recorded) turned into a euphoric release. Performed with the repeatedly impressive Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir, Chaka Khan’s rendition of the gospel standard “Goin’ Up Yonder” built in intensity and brought out churchly aspects of her voice that we hadn’t heard in a while. In light of Franklin’s roots in the church, it was only natural that gospel was part of the program, but the crowd made it clear that those were the types of songs they yearned to hear, almost as a way to channel its sorrow. Interestingly, many of the speeches referred to her version of “Respect,” but the song wasn’t performed by anyone. Bill Clinton is still beloved and Donald Trump still isn’t Judging by the response inside the church to his introduction and tribute, Clinton maintains a strong bond with African-Americans even after nearly 20 years out of office. His affection for Franklin came through when he talked about he and Hillary being “Aretha groupies” during their youths and the time he spent with Franklin backstage at her last public performance (at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation benefit last November, where he marveled that she sang for 45 minutes despite growing health issues). Clinton ended his tribute by pulling out his cell phone and playing “Think” on it into the microphone. (“It’s the key to freedom!” he beamed.) The crowd ate it all up. One of the only eruptions inside the church that was louder came when writer and Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson took offense with the current president’s comment about Franklin (“She worked for me”). With unapologetic indignation, Dyson, one of the tribute’s most fiery speakers, roared, “She ain’t work for you. She worked above you. She worked beyond you. Get your preposition right!” The church practically shook in response. For all the talk of Franklin’s music, her political and culture significance loomed far larger inside the church Many of the speakers, from Tyler Perry to former Attorney General Eric Holder, cited their favorite Franklin songs (“Dr. Feelgood” for Perry, for instance). Clive Davis, who helped reignite Franklin’s career in the Eighties, talked about meeting with her in 1979 to plan her comeback and proudly cited all the hits the two had together, to appreciative applause. But Franklin’s role as a symbol of civil rights and empowerment came up more than tales of the power of her voice. “She never ashamed us, she never disgraced us,” said Reverend Al Sharpton, adding that while people disagree on many things, “we all agree on Aretha.” She “left the world a better place than she found it,” declared another minister. During his somber tribute, a soft-voiced Jesse Jackson said, “If you leave here today and don’t register to vote, you’ll dishonor Aretha.” (Jackson appeared the most visibly struggling with the day as he repeatedly moved about the stage; when Franklin’s open casket was closed before the tribute began, he stepped down to the front of the stage and put his hands on the casket as a final, moving farewell.) Those in the church loved Franklin’s music, but her struggles, determination and feistiness clearly made her one of the most human of pop stars. Stevie Wonder was worth the wait Along with unnamed “National Artists,” Wonder was scheduled to close the service at approximately 3 p.m. The day stretched out longer than anyone had planned for several reasons, one being all the networking, hugging and introductions that took place on the church stage as the audience filtered in. Those inside the church were able to see Clinton being introduced to Grande and her fiancé Pete Davidson as Louis Farrakhan looked on. (Take in that range of participants for a moment.)<doc-sep>"The reason that we are here today is because of love. Because of how much we love this woman," said Stevie Wonder, who led the congregation in a rendition of his song As, which carries the refrain: "I'll be loving you always".<doc-sep>
(CNN) — Aretha Franklin’s funeral was an farewell fit for a legend. Between the star-studded appearances and heartfelt tributes, here’s how family, friends and famous fans said goodbye to the “Queen of Soul.” Presidential tributes Former president Bill Clinton joked that he and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were “Aretha groupies.” Clinton added that Franklin, who performed at his first inauguration in 1993, “lived with courage” and “cared about broken people.” “I just loved her,” he said. Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush also wrote letters that were read during the service. “She made important and lasting contributions to American music with her gospel-inspired style and distinctive voice,” Barbara Sampson read on Bush’s behalf. Obama added in his letter: “Aretha lifted those of millions, empowering and inspiring the vulnerable, the downtrodden, and everyone who may have just needed a little love.” Smokey Robinson’s touching goodbye Saying goodbye to a person he called his “oldest friend,” Robinson’s very personal speech gave a glimpse into his relationship with his childhood friend. “I know you’re celebrating with your family and our neighborhood friends who are all gone. And you’re going to be a featured voice in the choir of angels,” he said. While not among the official list of performers, Robinson also sang a few bars from his ballad “Really Gonna Miss You,” visibly moving some of Franklin’s family members. Filmmaker Tyler Perry, acting legend Cicely Tyson and music executive Clive Davis were also among the many speakers. Standout performances With a lineup that included Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, and Ariana Grande, Franklin’s funeral had enough heavy-hitters to populate the lineup for a music festival. Nothing less would be expected for a musical great’s celebration. Wonder sang “As” after delivering a speech that emphasized the power of love. “We need to make love great again,” Wonder said. Hudson brought mourners to their feet with a powerful rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Earlier in the lengthy ceremony, Grande performed her take on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” the 1967 song written by Carole King that became one of Franklin’s signature hits. Performers like The Clark Sisters, Chaka Khan and Yolanda Adams also entertained the crowd. Jennifer Holliday closed the service. A tribute fit for the ‘Queen’ Early in the ceremony, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced his intention to propose naming Chene Park, a 5,000-seat waterfront amphitheater, after Franklin, a move that drew huge cheers from those in attendance. “Our beautiful waterfront jewel will be Aretha Franklin park and when performers from generations to come from around the world come here they will be reminded they are performing at the home of the “Queen of Soul,” he said.