Prayers for Aretha Franklin: New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit Holds Service

August 15, 2018376 views0

Prayers for Aretha Franklin: New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit Holds Service

2018-08-15T17:01:02+01:00

By Bede Ehiogu

A prayer service was held Wednesday morning for Aretha Franklin at the church her father once ran.People from the across the country and the world have been paying respect to the 76-year-old “Queen of Soul.” On Monday, her family announced she was “gravely ill.” She has been in hospice care surrounded by friends and family in Detroit.

Supporters gather at Bert’s

Bert’s in Detroit’s Eastern Market is known to bring out music lovers, and a small group called Detroit Sings gathers there on Tuesdays.“We teach mostly Motown or Detroit music,” Beth Goldstein said. “Whoever shows up, it becomes the choir.”On Tuesday, the tunes being belted out were from the Queen of Soul.“When we heard about Aretha and the current circumstances, we immediately decided we wanted to honor her and sing one of her songs. So we picked ‘Think.'”The melody echoed loudly inside Bert’s as the 76-year-old Franklin continues to rest with family members and friends. Stevie Wonder and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were among Tuesday’s visitors.Roschelle Laughhunn and her friends said they hope the world gets a little more time with Franklin.“She’s like Auntie ReRe,” Laughhunn said. “She feels like your next-door neighbor. You feel like you know her even though you know you don’t.”Franklin has a way of making every tune her own. Her soulful music spans generations and brings back memories.“You know when you were growing up and Aama put on the music, it was time to clean up the house,” Laughhunn said. “It was Aretha at my mama’s house.”Click on Detroit