A handful of noteworthy stars have been chosen to perform at an all-star tribute concert for the late Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul will feature performances from headlining acts like Janelle Monae, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Alessia Cara, and Patti LaBelle. Other artists like Jennifer Hudson, Common, Brandi Carlile, H.E.R., SZA, Chloe X Halle, BeBe Winans, Yolanda Adams, and Shirley Caesar will also take the stage. Tyler Perry will host the show.
The event will take place on January 13 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California and will be filmed to air live as a TV special on CBS later in the year, Variety reports. Aretha! is a joint collaboration between CBS, the Recording Academy, AEG Ehrlich Ventures, and record executive/Franklin collaborator Clive Davis.
“Aretha was more than the Queen of Soul; she was a national treasure,” Davis said in a statement. “This unique concert – featuring many of today’s greatest artists – will celebrate Aretha in a spectacular manner befitting her once-in-a-lifetime talent.”
While the show will gather a group of all-star musicians to celebrate Franklin’s musical career, Ken Ehrlich said the concert will focus on “the remarkable musical and cultural accomplishments of the Queen of Soul through her own words and music.”
Throughout the years, Franklin recorded 38 albums, placed more than 100 singles on the Billboard Charts, and won 18 Grammy awards. She was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was ultimately named one of the greatest singers of all time. This past August, she died at 76-years-old.
Mary J. Blige described Aretha as a “gift from God.”
“When it comes to expressing yourself through song, there is no one who can touch her,” Blige said. “She is the reason why women want to sing.”
