Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Esquire

Stevie Wonder Closed Aretha Franklin’s Funeral with an Amazing Performance

Gabrielle Bruney
Updated
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Esquire

Living legend Stevie Wonder gave a stirring tribute to Aretha Franklin, performing "The Lord’s Prayer" on harmonica as well as his classic love song "As" at her Detroit funeral.

Delivering a eulogy after his performance of the "Lord’s Prayer," Wonder said that love was at the root of Franklin's musical legacy. "We need to make love great again," he said, invoking President Trump’s campaign slogan. "Because black lives do matter, because all lives do matter, and if we love God then we know truly it is our love that will make things better."

Even months before her death, Franklin and Wonder were planning a musical collaboration. The legends had worked together before, with Franklin turning Wonder’s "Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)" into a hit in 1973.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Wonder choked back tears when describing his deathbed visit with Franklin in an interview. "Every singer was influenced in some way by the way she sang," he said. "And they will be forever be influenced by her because her voice, her emotion, her sincerity, is unforgettable."

('You Might Also Like',)

Advertisement
Advertisement