Gladys Knight is set to perform at Aretha Franklin’s memorial next week.
The late Queen of Soul tragically passed away last week at the age of 76 after having battled pancreatic cancer for several years, and will be honoured with a memorial service at Chene Park Amphitheatre in Detroit on August 30.
With just one week to go until the service, TMZ has obtained the full list of performers, which includes 74-year-old Gladys, who is known as the Empress of Soul.
Other names set to pay tribute to the ‘Natural Woman’ hitmaker include The Four Tops, Johnny Gill, Ron Isley, Kiki Sheard, Kurt Carr, and Jean Carne.
TMZ reports that performances can be acoustic, track or with the Aretha Franklin combined band, and it has also been revealed that Dr. Louis Farrakhan will be in attendance as a guest.
After Aretha’s passing, Gladys took to Twitter to pay tribute to the star, stating she "set a standard" for female musicians to follow.
She wrote at the time: "Aretha, your music set a standard for every single lady in this industry to rise to. You have touched minds, hearts and spirits, including my own. I pray you have a smooth journey Ree Ree and hopefully I’ll get to sing with you in the Heavenly choir. Love you #QueenOfSoul (sic)"
Aretha’s memorial service will come one day before she is laid to rest at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan, where several of her family members – including her father, brother, and two sisters – are also buried.
Before the burial, fans will have a chance to bid farewell to the music icon during two public viewings at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, on August 28 and 29.
The full list of performers at Aretha Franklin’s memorial service:
The Four Tops
Gladys Knight
Johnny Gill
Ron Isley
Kiki Sheard
Kurt Carr
Jean Carne
Doug Carn
Ronnie McNeir
L.J. Reynolds
Tasha Page-Lockhart
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Dr. Bobby Jones
Jenifer Lewis
George Faison
Angie Stone
Raheem DeVaughn
Gracie Franklin
Eddie Franklin
Victorie Franklin
Santita Jackson
Ralphe Armstrong Band
Kern Brantley Band