Aretha Franklin Funeral Schedule & How To Watch
The Queen of Soul will be honored Friday morning at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
The funeral will run from 8:30a-3pm EST. Aretha’s music will be played during the viewing from 8:30 am-9: 50 am. Faith Hill will start the performances at 10:40 am. Ariana Grande is scheduled for 11 am.
Bill Clinton is scheduled to speak at 12:05 pm. Chaka Khan is expected to sing at 12:36 pm. Several speakers are scheduled throughout the service. Jennifer Hudson will perform ‘Amazing Grace’ at 2:00 pm followed by a eulogy and a performance from Stevie Wonder.
The full schedule of the ceremony’s events is below. (All times are East Coast.)
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
11:08-11:13 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. – Isiah 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
BET and The Word Network will air and stream the funeral in its entirety while national cable networks will air portions of the service.