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Aretha Franklin Remembered At Detroit Funeral

aretha2-1.7089081 DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 31: The casket containing the remains of soul music icon Aretha Franklin is carried into Greater Grace Temple for the singer's funeral on August 31, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Dozens of musicians and dignitaries are scheduled to either speak or perform at the singer's funeral, including former President Bill Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Faith Hill, Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, Smokey Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, and Cicely Tyson.(Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) (Bill Pugliano/Bill Pugliano / Getty Images)

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Pop star Ariana Grande and country singer Faith Hill were among the performers Friday at the funeral of Aretha Franklin.

The Queen of Soul died Aug. 16 at her home in Detroit after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 76.

Grande performed “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and Hill sang “What a Friend We Have In Jesus.” Also performing were Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson.

During the service, which lasted about eight hours, a long list of notable people paid tribute to Franklin. 

Music mogul Clive Davis declared: “Aretha's voice will be influencing others, literally, for centuries to come.”

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton said: “The secret of her greatness was she took this massive talent and this perfect culture that raised her and decided to be the composer of her own life song.”

A vintage hearse carrying Franklin’s body arrived at the Greater Grace Temple about two hours before the funeral was scheduled to start. It passed dozens of pink Cadillacs that lined the street (a tribute to her hit “Freeway of Love”). 

Once in place, her casket was surrounded by bouquets of pink, lavender and white flowers.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who praised Franklin for representing “the best in our community,” got political when he slammed U.S. president Donald Trump for saying Franklin once worked for him.

“She performed for you,” said Sharpton. “She worked for us … Aretha took orders from nobody but God.”