( 4UMF NEWS ) Aretha Franklin To Sing At Funeral:
Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin will headline the royal sendoff for her goddaughter, Whitney Houston — once the reigning princess of pop.
She reached out and offered her services to sing, a source close to Saturday’s invitation-only funeral at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church told the Daily News.
Among the other celebrity guests expected: pop singer Darlene, record exec L.A. Reid, Houston’s off-and-on boyfriend Ray J and his sister Brandy, singer/songwriter Valerie Simpson, Rev. Jesse Jackson, singer Chaka Khan and Houston’s musical mentor Clive Davis, sources said. The service is to be broadcast on TV and streamed on the Internet.
Houston’s family is also considering adding a musical tribute by Grammy-winning gospel greats BeBe & CeCe Winans, younger siblings of the Rev. Marvin Winans, who is delivering Houston’s eulogy.
It remained unclear whether Houston’s estranged ex-hubby, Bobby Brown, would attend to support the couple’s fragile 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina. Visitors to Houston’s mom Cissy said they expect he will.
Story @ NYDailyNews
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