For Smokey Robinson, the late Aretha Franklin was more than just the Queen of Soul.
Robinson told a packed venue that Franklin was his longtime neighbour in Detroit, calling the acclaimed singer his 鈥渓ittle sister鈥� whom he still misses at the 鈥淎retha! A Grammy Celebration for The Queen of Soul.鈥� He along with some of music鈥檚 well-respected artists such as Alicia Keys, Celine Dion and Patti LaBelle took the stage to help bring Franklin鈥檚 favourite songs back to life during the Jan. 13 taped tribute concert in Los Angeles.
The tribute will air March 10 on CBS.
鈥淪he was the girl next door. In fact, she was the girl right around the corner who became a lifelong friend, who became a musical icon,鈥� said Robinson of Franklin, who last year died at age 76 from pancreatic cancer at her home in Detroit. When they were younger, he said they played hide-and-seek and kick-the-can games outside.
鈥淏efore Aretha passed away, she was my longest living neighbourhood friend,鈥� he said.
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Robinson talked about meeting a 6-year-old Franklin for the first time after her family moved from Buffalo, New York, to Detroit. He said their first encounter came at Franklin鈥檚 home, which he called a 鈥渕ansion.鈥�
鈥淚 went into this little room, peeked in and saw this little 6-year-old girl sitting there playing the piano and singing up a storm. 鈥� 鈥楢mazing Grace,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淪he was amazing. I said to myself, 鈥業f she wants to, I know she鈥檚 going to be somebody really important in show business.鈥欌��
Franklin certainly left her imprint on music and the world. She had dozens of hits over the span of half a century and took home 18 Grammy Awards. In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The prolific singer and pianist sang at the dedication of her longtime friend the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.鈥檚 memorial in 2011. She performed at the inaugurations of President Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and the funeral for civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. President George W. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation鈥檚 highest civilian honour, in 2005.
One of Franklin鈥檚 best-known performances was when she sang 鈥淢y Country 鈥榯is of Thee鈥� at President Barack Obama鈥檚 inauguration in 2009.
Music mogul Clive Davis told the crowd 鈥渢here will never ever be another Aretha Franklin鈥� at the tribute put on by the Recording Academy. Some of the singer鈥檚 family members including her grandson who spoke at her funeral were in attendance at the tribute, hosted by filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry.
Robinson called Franklin a 鈥済ame-changing sensation鈥� who had one of the 鈥済reatest voices鈥� of all time.
鈥淪he was a gifted songwriter, a fantastic musician and a great political activist,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut for me, she was always my little sister who I loved so much. I still love her so much. But she鈥檚 gone home now to be with her father. I believe she has been reunited with her entire immediate family.鈥�
Many others echoed Robinson鈥檚 sentiments.
A video montage of Franklin was shown at the show鈥檚 start as quotes paying homage to her were displayed on the screen from Obama, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett and Willie Nelson. The video also showed the singer in a joyful moment laughing alongside with King.
鈥淎retha set the bar,鈥� a quote from Quincy Jones read.
Throughout the night, renditions of Franklin鈥檚 songs from 鈥淩espect鈥� to 鈥淚 Say a Little Prayer鈥� brought people out of their seats.
Jennifer Hudson, who will star in Franklin鈥檚 biopic, kicked off the tribute with an energetic performance of 鈥淭hink鈥� while wearing a stunning white dress. Keys sang while playing the piano, saying she was 鈥渂lessed to be here,鈥� before she introduced SZA as the two performed a duet of 鈥淒ay Dreaming.鈥�
Celine Dion received a standing ovation before she performed Franklin鈥檚 version of 鈥淎 Change is Gonna Come,鈥� which was originally made by Sam Cooke. Patti LaBelle鈥檚 voice soared on 鈥淐all Me鈥� with a house band led by music director Rickey Minor, as many throughout the crowd yelled out 鈥渆ncore鈥� after she finished.
Fantasia, Andra Day, Brandi Carlile and Alessia Cara sang 鈥淣atural Woman鈥� together. Common joined Yolanda Adams who sang 鈥�(To Be) Young, Gifted and Black鈥� as the rapper inserted his own politically charged rap lyrics into the 1972 song.
Other performers included Shirley Caesar, Kelly Clarkson, Chloe X Halle, H.E.R., John Legend and BeBe Winans.
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MrLandrum31
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
