Aretha Franklin will be honored at a tribute concert presented by record executive Clive Davis on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The concert, to be produced by Live Nation, was in the works before Franklin's health failed, a source confirmed to Entertainment Tonight. It will be called "Clive Davis Presents: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin." Davis was a close collaborator and friend to Franklin, who died Thursday at age 76 due to advanced pancreatic cancer.
The website Showbiz411 reported about plans for the concert on Monday, saying Davis approached Franklin with the idea in late June. The concert will celebrate Franklin's 60 years in music and 18 Grammy Awards.
"The Queen of Soul was beyond delighted," Roger Friedman wrote for Showbiz411. "She personally approved Jennifer Hudson, who is slated to play Aretha in a biopic for Sony/Tri-Star, as one of the lead performers."
A lineup for the event hasn't been announced, but artists are expected to cover Franklin's hits, including "Respect," "Rock Steady," "Think," "Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools," "I Say a Little Prayer," "I Knew You Were Waiting," "Ain't No Way," "Since You've Been Gone" and "Freeway of Love," Billboard noted.
On Thursday night, musicians honored Franklin with covers of her songs, including an emotional rendition of "Natural Woman" performed by Ariana Grande on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" by the Avett Brothers at a concert in Pittsburgh, USA Today noted.
Tributes to the singer also have taken the form of television specials by "20/20," TV One and Oprah Winfrey; a special exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery; and messages and mementos left at Franklin’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to USA Today.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.