Beyonce Honors Ailing Aretha Franklin at Detroit Concert, Ending Feud With Queen of Soul

Aretha Franklin is currently seriously ill, and celebrities and fans have been extending their [...]

By Hannah Barnes

Aretha Franklin is currently seriously ill, and celebrities and fans have been extending their thoughts and well-wishes to the legendary singer since the news broke.

On Monday night, Beyoncé took things a step further at her On the Run II Tour stop in Detroit, dedicating the show to Franklin. Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z, who joins his wife on the trek, made the dedication after their opening song, Jay-Z's "Holy Grail," according to a tweet posted by the show's venue.

"This show is dedicated to Aretha Franklin," Beyoncé told the crowd. "We love you and thank you."

The Detroit Free Press added that Beyoncé thanked Franklin for "the beautiful music"

Opener DJ Khaled also gave a tribute of his own, playing the Queen of Soul's hit "Respect" and asking the 40,000-plus crowd to "make some noise for Aretha Franklin."

Detroit is a city close to Franklin's heart, as she moved to Detroit as a young child and began her career singing at the church where her father served as a pastor. The Motor City even named a street for the legendary diva, officially naming Aretha Franklin Way last summer.

Beyoncé and Franklin seemed to be in a bit of a feud after Beyoncé's appearance at the 2008 Grammy Awards, during which she introduced Tina Turner as "the queen."

"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé," Franklin said at the time, according to Variety. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

Despite the perceived slight, Franklin later praised Beyoncé in 2014 after covering Destiny's Child's "Survivor" for her album Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.

"I heard she was a fan of mine, so we've got a mutual admiration society going," Franklin told Meredith Vieira at the time.

"She's a hard worker. That's what I really like about her," Franklin added. "You can see it in her presentation that she has put some time and energy into it. She's a Virgo. Virgos are very hard workers, I've noticed that."

Franklin is reportedly in hospice care at her home in Detroit, CNN reports.

News of the singer's failing health was reported on Monday by Showbiz 411 and was later confirmed by journalist Roland Martin, a journalist who has covered Franklin for years.

"Many of you are asking me to confirm the health status of @ArethaFranklin," Martin tweeted. "Folks, I've known for several months. The Queen is surrounded by loved ones. That's all I will say for now. Please keep her, the family and her longtime support staff in your prayers."

Photo Credit: Getty / Larry Busacca/PW18

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