'Very giving, kind-hearted:' NC pastor, singer remembers Aretha Franklin before funeral

Aretha Franklin will be laid to rest in Detroit Friday, during a funeral that is expected to last at least five hours.

The Greater Grace Temple is preparing a memorial fit for the Queen of Soul, and Franklin’s service is being held at the same church were her father was a longtime pastor and Franklin learned the gospel fundamentals.

Caesar is often called the Queen of Gospel, so it’s only fitting she too gets the opportunity to laud the Queen of Soul.

Caesar, who lives in north Raleigh, knew Franklin since they were teenagers.

"Years ago, when we were teenagers, I traveled with her and her dad. He would preach and we would sing," she said.

Caesar said she owes her successful gospel career to Franklin and her father, Rev. C.L. Franklin.

"When the Caravans wanted me to travel with them, I said 'you'll have to ask my mother' and Rev. Franklin called my momma," Caesar said.

That call led to Caesar going on the road with the legendary Caravans singing group that launched the careers of many gospel greats.

"If it had not been for him calling, I wouldn't be sitting here right now," Caesar said.

Caesar said her friendship with Aretha Franklin remained close through the years and the pair joked about flying to Europe several months ago.

"She said 'I'll tell you what we should do. Let's go to London and tell the queen over there who the real queens are.' I said 'How are we going to get there? You don't fly, you can't drive over there in your bus,'" Caesar said.

Caesar said the pair frequently spoke on the phone, right up until Franklin’s final days, and that Franklin had an outreach ministry in Detroit.

“She would bring singers, major talent, to Detroit and open the door and let everybody come in free. She would cook up food for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people. They came in and they would eat,” Caesar said. “Aretha was very giving, very kind-hearted and I miss her already.”