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Scores Of Pink Cadillacs Descend Upon Detroit For Aretha Franklin Funeral

This month, the world lost a legendary musical talent as the “Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin, passed away at the age of 76 from pancreatic cancer. Ms. Franklin’s funeral was held in Detroit, Michigan today, although there was some question of how to properly pay homage to such a monumental figure.

Hundreds seem to have found an answer, turning up from all across the country in pink Cadillacs from the CTS sedan to the Escalade SUV in order to honor the Queen of Soul as she was mourned at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit. The late Ms. Franklin sang about pink Cadillacs in her popular song “Freeway of Love”, with the lyrics:

We goin’ ridin’ on the freeway of love
Wind’s against our backs
We goin’ ridin’ on the freeway of love
In my pink Cadillac

A young Aretha Franklin.

A young Aretha Franklin.

In all, some 120 pink Cadillacs turned up to form a motorcade that escorted the hearse carrying the late Aretha Franklin down 7 Mile road, mimicking the sort of motorcades frequently seen at funerals for fallen soldiers, firefighters, and law enforcement officers. So many cars turned up to be a part of the motorcade that Crisette Ellis, the first lady of Greater Grace Temple, says she “had to cut it off.”

“[Freeway of Love] has been an anthem for those of us that drive a pink Cadillac,” she says. “Driving a pink Cadillac in our world says success. We get respect when we drive a pink Cadillac, so all I can imagine is that Ms. Franklin would look down and say: ‘That is how you show R-E-S-P-E-C-T to the Queen of Soul.'”

Aretha Franklin’s long and illustrious musical career began in the Motor City, singing gospel at Detroit’s New Bethel Baptist Church, where her father was a minister. Over the course of a career spanning more than six decades, Ms. Franklin recorded more than three dozen albums, and became the most charted female recording artist in history.

(Source: WXYZ 7)

Aaron Brzozowski is a writer and motoring enthusiast from Detroit with an affinity for '80s German steel. He is not active on the Twitter these days, but you may send him a courier pigeon.

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Comments

  1. Very cool. What a neat tribute!

    Reply
  2. I was ready for some good news heading into the weekend.

    Nicely done –

    Reply
  3. I remember Aretha Franklin mainly for her appearance in the legendary “Blues Brothers” film, singing “Think!”

    Reply
  4. GM should consider a Special ARETHA EDITION of the CT6 for 2019 in PINK. Cadillac has never built a pink cadillac but as the Mary Kay Cosmetics company came up with their special version, this would truly be a nice way to continue a Detroit tribute to the Queen of Soul. (in Limited numbers in a slighly darker hue of Pink)

    Reply
    1. Try 1956 Cadillac production paint ‘ Mountain Laurel ” code 46 pink

      Reply
  5. Cadillac tweeted a picture of the 50s gold Crest & V with a pink background & “1942 – 2018” “Respect” written on it. It was a nice gesture.

    Reply
  6. I’d liked to have been there to see that.

    Reply
  7. Reply
  8. Mary Kay got free advertising with the lame “Cadillacs”. Should have been early model and not these wannabe Cadillacs.

    Reply

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