Make no mistake this is a service, not a show.
Bishop Charles Ellis III of Greater Grace has one agenda for legendary singer Aretha Franklin's funeral, that those in attendance will have a spiritual awakening. And from the looks of things that's more than likely to happen. Ellis said of the service:
It is my goal and my aim to ensure that people leave here with some kind of spiritual awakening. This is not a concert, this is not a show, this is not an awards production. This is a real life that has been lived, that a person regardless of how famous she became no matter how many people she touched around the world, she still could not escape death. And hopefully, a lot of people here with money and fame and influence and friends and notoriety and wealth, hopefully they will think of their mortality and say there is something bigger than fame, there is something bigger than Hollywood, something bigger than being a recording artist and selling gold albums or what have you.
Even so, there is quite the A list of attendee slated to perform such as Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Faith Hill, Fantasia, Ronald Isley, Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hioliday, Shirley Caesar, Chaka Khan and The Clark Sisters. Those speaking include Cicely Tyson, Jesse Jackson and Former President Bill Clinton.
The Detroit Free Press printed the schedule calling it "epic"
Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
It might very well be a funeral for the great Queen of Soul but folks were live tweeting as if it were the Grammy Awards.
Some Twitter users were a tad worried about the time and had some advice for those in attendance.
And some worried that the white folks wouldn't be able to keep up.
The homegoing ends when the homegoing ends, so take a seat.
Rest in Peace Aretha Franklin, take all the time you need to say goodbye.
@JamesTate121/X