Aretha Franklin's 6-Hour Funeral Service Performance Line-Up

A vehicle carrying the casket containing Aretha Franklin arrives at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for a viewing on August 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan

The final journey for Aretha Franklin will be nine miles with over 100 cars. Her funeral procession route has been confirmed and will go east on Seven Mile Road from Greater Grace Temple, to Woodlawn Cemetery on Woodward Avenue following what's expected to be a six-and-a-half hour funeral on Friday. 

Former President Bill Clinton will speak, while former President George W. Bush has submitted a letter he's asked to be read, as he and former President Barack Obama will speak at the funeral for Senator John McCain the next day. 

Performers at the funeral will include Stevie Wonder, and the ceremony will be broadcast on TV. 

  • 9:30-9:50 a.m.: Musical Prelude: Aretha Franklin Orchestra
  • 9:50-10:00 a.m.: Lighting of Candles: Swanson Funeral Home, Inc.
  • 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 Psalm: Bishop P.A. Brooks, Pastor, New St. Paul Tabernacle Church
  • 10:40-10:45 a.m.: Musical Tribute: Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir
  • 10:45-10:49 a.m.: Musical Tribute: Faith Hill
  • 10:49-11:03 a.m.: Remarks:
  • 10:49 a.m.: Brenda Jones, City Council President
  • 10:51 a.m.: JoAnn Watson, Detroit City Council
  • 10:53 a.m.: Mike Duggan, Mayor, City of Detroit
  • 10:57 a.m.: Governor Rick Snyder, State of Michigan
  • 11:03-11:08 a.m.: Musical Tribute: Ariana Grande
  • 1108-11:13 a.m.: Musical Tribute: The Clark Sisters
  • 11:13-11:18 a.m: Acknowledgements and Condolences: Barbara Sampson
  • 11:18-11:23 a.m.: Musical Tribute: The Williams Brothers & Vanessa Bell Armstrong
  • 11:23-11:40 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.: Senator Gary Peters, State of Michigan
  • 12:10 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
  • 1:00 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.: Recessional: Jennifer Holliday and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir

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