(Washington, DC) — Aretha Franklin is on board for this weekend’s dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington, DC.The special event was originally slated to take place in August, but had to be postponed because of Hurricane Irene. The Queen of Soul had been scheduled to participate in the August festivities, and “The Washington Post’s” The Reliable Source column says she’s the only confirmed performer for the new date. Lionel Richie was also among the artists expected to take part in the summer ceremony, while Stevie Wonder and Patti LaBelle had performed at galas that were held in the days leading up to the cancelled dedication. It’s not known if any of them will be on hand Sunday. “The Post” adds that a list of confirmed participants might only be released hours before the dedication.
Aretha’s commitment to the King memorial dedication has forced her to postpone her concert Saturday night in Durham, North Carolina. The Raleigh “News & Observer” says Franklin has rescheduled her show at the Durham Performing Arts Center for February 9th. Tickets for the October 16th concert will be honored on the new date.
Source: Copyright © 2011 Metro Networks Inc.
