New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Robert Smith Jr. sings at the beginning of a prayer vigil for Aretha Franklin, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 in Detroit. People are praying for Franklin in the Detroit church where her father was once a pastor.(Jose Juarez/Detroit News via AP)
DETROIT (AP) — People are praying for Aretha Franklin in the Detroit church where her father was once a pastor.The special vigil at New Bethel Baptist Church began before dawn Wednesday.
The prayers come one day after Stevie Wonder visited the ailing Queen of Soul at her home. Franklin’s ex-husband, actor Glynn Turman, also visited Franklin, who is seriously ill. In this April 19, 2017 file photo, Aretha Franklin performs at the world premiere of “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives” at Radio City Music Hall, during the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
A person close to Franklin, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not allowed to publicly talk about the topic, told The Associated Press on Monday that the singer is ill. No more details were provided.The 76-year-old canceled planned concerts earlier this year after she was ordered by her doctor to stay off the road and rest.
