Aretha Franklin funeral: Jennifer Holliday performs as moving ceremony concludes

The ceremony in honour of the late Aretha Franklin has come to an end

Aretha Franklin 'The Queen of Soul' dies aged 76

A memorial service celebrating the life of singer Aretha Franklin took place in Detroit today, where performers, fans, friends and family members joined to pay their respects to the "Queen of Soul".

The legendary singer, known for such anthems as “Respect”, “Natural Woman” and “Say a Little Prayer”, died of pancreatic cancer earlier this month, aged 76.

Icons including Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and Ariana Grande performed at the city's Greater Grace Temple, as well as a host of local gospel musicians, while Bill Clinton, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Smokey Robinson paid tribute to the life of the beloved Aretha Franklin.

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Key Points

• Ariana Grande and Stevie Wonder among performers at Aretha Franklin memorial
• Bill Clinton, Reverend Jesse Jackson and Smokey Robinson offer eulogies
• Star's gold coffin transported in vintage ivory hearse used to lay civil rights heroine Rosa Parks to rest

[31 August 2018 14:45 · Joe Sommerlad]

A word from Bishop Charles H Ellis, officiating at today’s service, on what he hopes to achieve:

"It is my goal and my aim to ensure that people leave here with some kind of spiritual awakening.

"This is not a concert, this is not a show, this is not an awards production. This is a real life that has been lived, that a person regardless of how famous she became no matter how many people she touched around the world, she still could not escape death.

"And hopefully, a lot of people here with money and fame and influence and friends and notoriety and wealth, hopefully they will think of their mortality and say there is something bigger than fame, there is something bigger than Hollywood, something bigger than being a recording artist and selling gold albums or what have you."

[31 August 2018 15:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

Right now guests are filing into the Greater Grace Temple to take their seats, many stopping to greet old friends and share stories about their friendship with Aretha Franklin.

Her gold coffin, glinting in the sun, was carried into the church a short while ago.

[31 August 2018 15:07 · Joe Sommerlad]

Ex-Donald Trump adviser Omarosa Manigault-Newman has arrived among the mourners.

[31 August 2018 15:09 · Joe Sommerlad]

Bill and Hillary Clinton have arrived in the auditorium, as has the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

[31 August 2018 15:15 · Joe Sommerlad]

The guests have been warned not to use their phones out of respect and told that, if they do so, they will be asked to leave by state police.

[31 August 2018 15:22 · Joe Sommerlad]

The Franklin family is about to arrive and the memorial will start in five minutes, the guests have just been informed.

[31 August 2018 15:28 · Joe Sommerlad]

The band strikes up "Say a Little Prayer" just as Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson arrive, chatting with Hillary Clinton and posing for photographs with Bill.

Grande will perform later after the Franklin family were moved by her rendition of "Natural Woman" on Jimmy Fallon's chat show earlier this month when the news of Aretha's passing first broke.

[31 August 2018 15:33 · Joe Sommerlad]

Flowers have been sent for today's memorial from singers including Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett and from the family of Otis Redding, as well as the Jackson family, Atlantic Records, Sir Elton John, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Don King and Diana Ross.

[31 August 2018 15:36 · Joe Sommerlad]

The Aretha Franklin Choir is currently performing a selection of their idol's greatest hits, including a rousing "Still Waters Run Deep".

[31 August 2018 15:42 · Joe Sommerlad]

You can now stream the memorial live via The Independent's YouTube channel as proceedings get into full swing.