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Bill Clinton, Smokey Robinson to speak at Franklin funeral

Posted at 12:37 PM, Aug 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-24 12:37:07-04

DC, UNITED STATES: US President Bill Clinton (R) along with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton award singer Aretha Franklin (C) with the 1999 National Medal of Arts and Humanities Award 29 September, 1999, at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Stephen JAFFE (Photo credit should read STEPHEN JAFFE/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton, Smokey Robinson, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Cicely Tyson will be among the speakers at Aretha Franklin’s funeral next week.

Franklin’s rep, Gwendolyn Quinn, says other speakers will include former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, music mogul Clive Davis, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Clinton and the Queen of Soul were longtime friends. She sang at both of his inaugurations. Robinson and Franklin grew up together in Detroit.

Franklin died last Thursday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. Her funeral will be held in Detroit at Greater Grace Temple next Friday.

The Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. will deliver the eulogy. He is pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Atlanta.