FCNNEWSSOURCE
(FinalCall.com) – Music icon Dr. Aretha Franklin recently led a “good ‘ole church revival” in her hometown of Detroit for the fourth consecutive year. The Queen of Soul’s “gift to the Motor City” took place at Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, June 12 through June 14.
The three-night celebration of faith featured local and national gospel vocalists and ministers. In addition to Dr. Franklin’s performance, other artists and ministers invited to participate in the event, including The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Dorothy Norwood, Vickie Winans, Twinkie Clark, Bill Moss, Jr., Evangelist Sandra Riley, Evangelist Esther Smith, Eddie Franklin and Evangelist Ruby Terry. Detroit Rev. Edgar Vann, Jr. and Rev. Donald Parsons were ministers at the revival.
Ms. Franklin grew up in Detroit’s renowned New Bethel Baptist Church under the direction of her legendary father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin.She also released her own landmark gospel albums, “Songs of Faith: The Gospel Soul of Aretha Franklin” and “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.”
As a way of giving back to both her gospel roots and the Detroit community, Ms. Franklin has brought in great gospel talent for the revivals including Detroit’s own Karen Clark-Sheard, Pastor Smokie Norful, Dr. Cissy Houston, Micah Stampley, La Shun Pace and The Anointed Pace Sisters, The Christianaires, Zie’l, Beverly Crawford, Bishop Paul Morton, Candi Staton, Richard Smallwood, Daryl Coley, Lee Williams and the Spiritual QCs, Dr. Bobby Jones, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, among others.
Ms. Franklin’s distinctive soulful, to-the-bone vocal style has graced music charts for over four decades and her live performances have touched the hearts of tens of millions since she began her musical journey in Detroit as a gospel-singing child prodigy.
She has earned countless international and national awards as well as accolades and global recognition. The songstress has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Kennedy Center Honor, 18 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Legend Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and five American Music Awards. In 1987, she was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1979 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Earlier this year, Ms. Franklin was named “2008 MusiCares Person of the Year” by the Recording Academy in honor of her extraordinary artistic achievements as well as her philanthropic efforts, which include Save The Children, Easter Seals and various churches and food banks in the Detroit metropolitan area. She also received the prestigious NAACP Vanguard Award during a nationally televised presentation of the 39th NAACP Image Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. Look for the Queen of Soul’s summer tour; it might be coming to a city near you!
