ARETHA FRANKLIN'S FUNERAL WILL BE 4 DAY EVENT

MOTOWN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:

Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Ron Isley, Chaka Khan, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, The Clark Sisters, Jennifer Holliday, Tasha Cobbs, Marvin Sapp, The Williams Brothers, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, classical artist Audrey DuBois Harris, soprano Alice McAllister Tillman, Franklin’s son Edward Franklin, the Aretha Franklin Orchestra and the Aretha Franklin Celebration Choir will perform at the private celebration of life.

The Rev. Jasper Williams Jr., pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Atlanta, will deliver the eulogy. He did the same at the funeral for Franklin’s father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, in 1984

David Sutherland The 1940 Cadillac LaSalle used to bring Aretha Franklin out to her public visitation here at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the Detroit Free Press this was the same hearse used for Aretha’s father, Rev. C. L. Franklin, David Ruffin (of The Temptations) and Rosa Parks. — at Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

Related: Aretha Franklin’s funeral will be four-day event, include three days of viewings.

By KURT NAGL

A free Aretha Franklin tribute concert is scheduled for Thursday night at the 6,000-seat Chene Park ampitheater.

A star-studded lineup of performers is set to perform next week in Detroit at the funeral service and separate tribute performances for legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who died last week in her Detroit home.

The Aug. 31 funeral service for Franklin, 76, at Greater Grace Temple includes a stunning cast set to make it one of the biggest celebrations of life in the city's history.

Scheduled performers at the invite-only service include Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia and Jennifer Holliday, the Detroit Free Press reported, citing Franklin's family. Others in the lineup are:

FUNERAL AND VIEWING

VIEWING

When: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday

Where: Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Who can attend: The viewing is open to the public

When: Noon-4 p.m. Aug. 30

Where: New Bethel Baptist Church, 8430 Linwood

Who can attend: This viewing is limited to members of the congregation

FUNERAL

When: 10 a.m. Aug. 31

Where: Greater Grace Temple, 23500 W. Seven Mile Road

Who can attend: The service is limited to family, friends and selected guests.

Bonus: Owners of pink Cadillacs — featured in Franklin's hit "Freeway of Love" and popular among Mary Kay reps — can park their vehicles outside the church and attend the funeral, according to an online solicitation.

The night before, a free and open to the public show is scheduled at the 6,000-seat Chene Park amphitheater on the Detroit River.

The roster of performers includes The Four Tops and Gladys Knight. Per a news release sent out by the venue, the others include: Cherri Black, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Doug Carn, Jean Carne, Kurt Carr, Steffinie Christian

Although the show is free, tickets are required. They will be available on Ticketmaster beginning 10 a.m. Monday. Guests are allowed a maximum of two tickets and, "in honor of the Queen, Ticketmaster will waive all fees."

Franklin performed at Chene Park in 2015, according to the release.

The show will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Another musical tribute show is being planned for 6 p.m. Monday at the Detroit church where Franklin got her start, with some of the biggest names in gospel music scheduled to perform, church pastor Robert Smith Jr. said. It is free and open to the public.

COMPOSER KEN JOSEPH'S AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARY SOUFRA AT WSU!

Detroit Composer Ken Joseph’s Latest Award Winning Documentary

“SOUFRA” Will Be Screened at His Alma Mater, Wayne State University

Freep Film Festival

WSU Welcome Center, 

42 West Warren Avenue, 

Detroit MI 48202

April 13, 2018 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm 

Detroit, MI (March 29, 2018) – Michigan native Ken Joseph has traveled a long road, through the Hollywood music industry, before securing a career as a film composer. Creating with fellow composer Alex Seaver (Juilliard trained front man for Pop/Electonic project Mako), Joseph’s recent work, the film “Soufra,” will be shown at his alma mater, Wayne State University where he received his degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media. The film is part of the Freep Film Festival and will screen on April 13th at 5 pm.

“Soufra” is an inspirational story about a generational refugee, Mariam Shaar, who has spent her entire life in the Burl El Barajneh refugee camp south of Beirut, Lebanon. The film follows Mariam, with a diverse team of fellow refugee women, as they set out to change their fate by launching a catering company, and then expanding its reach outside the camp with a food truck business.

Together, they heal the wounds of war through the unifying power of food while breaking down barriers with Syrian, Iraqi, Palestinian and Lebanese women working side by side. This is a story of hope, grit, and passion.

“While attending Sterling Heights High School, I played my first professional engagement with Johnny Trudell’s Big Band in Detroit. That’s the moment I knew that I wanted to make music my career,” confessed Joseph. “I was influenced by the local sounds of Motown.”

Ken Joseph was born and raised in the Detroit area and grew up emulating former Motown staff musicians and arrangers. Additional influences include Jazz legends Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Herbie Hancock. Ken studied piano at The Center Of Creative Studies Conservatory and at the age of 12, he studied jazz piano at Wayne State University where he later received his music degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media.

His early classical education was in the orchestral inspirations of Debussy, and Ravel while training in the techniques of the Masters. Ken was educated in the classroom as well as “On the bandstand” while earning a place at music school.

In addition to extensive composition classes at school, he was able to perform and study with composers, arrangers and performers that he admired in Detroit. They were part of the classic Motown sound.

After relocating to Los Angeles, Ken has had the opportunity to score feature length films and documentaries (receiving the Gold Medal of Excellence at Park City Film Music Awards during the Sundance Film Festival). Ken is an alumnus of the prestigious ASCAP Film and Television scoring workshop.

Directed by Michigan native and Central Michigan University graduate Thomas A. Morgan, the film was produced by another Michigan native, from Flint, Kathleen Glynn (Founded Dog Eat Dog Films; her projects have been the recipient of the Cannes Palme d’Or, Academy Award, and Primetime Emmy), as well as producer Trevor Hall (President Rebelhouse Group) and Executive Producer Susan Sarandon.

“Soufra” is a Michigan premiere. Directed by Michigan native and Central Michigan University graduate Thomas A. Morgan it screens at the Wayne State University Welcom Center, 42 W. Warren Ave. in Detroit during the Freep Film Festival. 1 hour, 13 minutes. Tickets are $10 in advance online at https://tickets.freep.com/e/soufra/tickets, $12 at the door.

4 MEN WHO BRUTALLY ATTACKED STEVEN UTASH ARRAIGNED IN COURT TODAY

Four men accused of attacking a suburban motorist who accidentally struck a 10-year-old boy on Detroit’s east side are scheduled to appear in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Bruce Wimbush Jr., Latrez Cummings, James Davis and Wonzey Saffold face arraignment Monday on assault with intent to murder charges.

A judge last week ordered the men — ages 17 to 30 — to stand trial in the brutal beating of 54-year-old Steve Utash. MORE ON THE FREE PRESS

Teen charged in Steve Utash beating is called instigator in the attack