Only the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin could command a tribute performance roster chock full of some of music’s greatest vocal talents. And, much like the late diva’s televised homegoing celebration, the vocalists that lined the bill did not disappoint.
Patti Labelle, Celine Dion, H.E.R. Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Janelle Monae, Fantasia, Shirley Caesar, John Legend, and Kelly Clarkson are just a few of the names tapped by industry executive Clive Davis to perform at CBS special ‘Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul.’
Hosted by Tyler Perry, the show – taped at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium in January – aired last night (March 10) much to fan delight. Did you miss any of the amazing performances? See them inside:
VIDEO: @IAmJHud performing Think, Aint No Way, and Respect at the #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/80hCo2R7Io
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: @AliciaKeys and @SZA perform Spirit In The Dark, Day Dreaming, and You’re All I Need To Get By #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/ebBRdzgZgc
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: @JanelleMonae Performs Rock Steady #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/aDB6iOG2El
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: @HERMusicx performs I Say A Little Prayer #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/X2hyHdGfUO
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: @ChloexHalle perform Sister Are Doin’ It For Themselves #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/ydOJkgWlIy
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
Video: @AndraDayMusic performs Freeway Of Love #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/dm6DtXHgw1
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: @TasiasWorld & @ThisIsRobThomas performed I Knew You Were Waiting For Me #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/6XbdHIKA4f
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: @JohnLegend performed Bridge Over Troubled Water at the #GRAMMYsAretha celebration! pic.twitter.com/98rpGUhHGR
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: Brandi Carlile, Fantasia, Andra Day, and Alessia Cara perform Natural Woman at #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/M6DWr7vCg1
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: #PattiLabelle performs Call Me #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/xEg9mjr9XQ
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
VIDEO: Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, Bebe Winans do a gospel tribute at the #GRAMMYsAretha pic.twitter.com/3HNkSiAjb3
— Opinionated Me (@opinion8dmecom) March 11, 2019
[photo credit: Getty Images]
LOVED THIS!!!!
Thank You Grammy’s and all the performers!
Fantasia you always come through!
Mama Patti that was magical.
Everyone did so good.
Aretha would be happy.
Now I’m even more excited for the Motown 60 tribute!!!!
i like this but Jazmine sullivan, Cythia Erivo and Ledisi did better then all these groups put together on the BEt tribute last year! They sang circles around them
And where was Mary J?
Ok!!
Hollywood lol
Patti never disappoints! I’m so thankful for her. ?
OMG Jennifer Hudson is everything
This was AMAZING! Everyone did amazing performances. Fantasia was stellar. Jennifer Hudson brought her broadway vocals to 3 of Aretha’s biggest hits and it was great!
TROLLmine ? girl (boy) we all know in your head the whole time you were saying “but here’s Robert?”… we are so disappointed TROLLmine!!!!!! PissyPissPrincess(prince)
The thirst is real yall! It is OFFICIAL. This man ‘Jazzy’ is OBSESSED with me. Let’s PRAY for him. He needs God and Mental Help in his life ASAP. Hating trolls can HATE and LIE but your girl Jasmine will FOREVER be BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED. God says do not mess with my annointed so he will reap what he sows for bullying me!
Sorry yall the spirit told me to add this video to the article. This was from last year and it is also an AMAZING Aretha Franklin tribute to be loved on and enjoyed just like this new one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL_mb8jtirM
Wow TROLLmine I’m surprised you didn’t change ur name and post a heartfelt performance by robertbwhere he’s singing inspirational music and crying
Brother you are more obsessed with R. Kelly than anyone I know. How can you come on such a positive post with amazing performances by these ladies and spew your nasty venum? No wonder all the articles you write (I mean plagarize lol) are negative. Please get on your knees and pray to God for some happiness boo. People who spew hate and evilness live in misery. You are telling everyone how miserable you are daily. You must repent and do right by God or you will keep drowning in misery.
HER is going to go down as a musical legend, mark my words- she is a beast.
glad to see Fantasia getting these opportunities…her talent is so versatile
Where was Mary J ? Mariah ?!
Top 3 :
– J Hud : daaamn, she killed it.
– Patti : she’s proving that you can age yet sound incredibly powerful. She looks much younger btw.
– Celine : more raspiness in her vocals now. Never been into her sound besides a few song here and there. She should do a soulful/jazzy album, I’d be here for that (if only Mariah would do that as well…).
Mariah cannot sing live well enough to sing an Aretha song. It would be super embarrassing to watch her struggle through an Aretha song and lip sync the climax. Stop including her in big vocal outings. That’s not her thing anymore unless she has a studio engineer to help her out. Why do you think Caution has no vocal moments?
B.s Mariah does not need to prove herself to you or anyone else she has earned everything that she has achieved but she can out sing your faves on her bad day ,do not ever underestimate ms.mimi she had one of the biggest music comebacks in music history ,she is 50 and needs to be treated as a musical treasure instead of being bashed ….hope your fave can have the equivalent career that she has obtained
everyone did phenomenal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_RG1O5BhBU
I have to say from the Amber Riley singing ain’t no way is a better version that Jennifer Hudson’s, she sounded like she was straining the notes.
Tweets version of Daydreaming over SZA’s
Alicia & Sza was a no! I need the MJB passion for that.
George Michael could sing so Fantasia deserved someone to duet with that could.
Celine was okay
H.E.R just reminds me of what Alicia Keys was vocally.
BeBe, Shirley and Yolanda gave me life
Yolanda & Common were great.
Everyone else’s versions of songs either lacked energy or soul
OMG Celine YES!
It´s outstanding that she can sing live like that after all the non stop decades. ARETHA herself said it not long before dying: it´s crazy to sing the amount of time daily as some younger girls do (clearly Whitney, Mariah and Celine, which were the first VOCAL GLOBAL MEGASTARS) and “suffered” a demand never sing before for a universal voice like theirs.
Amazing. That´s not even her type of song. She has been able to sing ANYTHING throughout her career. Her versatility is crazy.
I LOVED every bit of THIS!
they put Fantasia in duets and she still stole the show