Over 100 pink Cadillacs gathered in Detroit on Friday to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin. These iconic vehicles lined Seven Mile Road outside Greater Grace Temple, where her funeral services took place.
Cadillac, a brand founded in 1902 and currently owned by General Motors, is closely associated with the legendary singer and her hometown of Detroit. The pink Cadillac became particularly famous through Franklin’s 1985 hit song, “Freeway of Love,” which many consider an anthem celebrating the city.
In recognition of Franklin’s legacy, Cadillac placed a full-page advertisement in the Detroit Free Press on the day of her funeral to honor her life.
The idea for the procession of pink Cadillacs originated from Greater Grace Temple’s Pastor Charles Ellis III and his wife, Crisette Ellis. They envisioned a stunning display to welcome Franklin’s arrival. Pastor Ellis recalled, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could have a sea of pink Cadillacs parked on Seven Mile Road to greet Ms. Aretha Franklin as she arrives?” They designed the event to resemble a tunnel of pink Cadillacs as the funeral vehicles drove between them.
The effort was made feasible by Ellis’s role as a national sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics, which rewards top sales performers with pink Cadillacs. She reached out to colleagues who had received these cars to gather participants for the tribute, and the response was overwhelming. “They’re coming from everywhere,” she told NPR, highlighting attendees from Texas, Nebraska, Florida, North Carolina, and Maryland.
Among the Cadillacs, notable classics included a 1956 pink Cadillac Grand Seville owned by Stuart Popp of Plymouth, Michigan, who was invited to join Franklin’s funeral procession after showcasing his vehicle at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
Franklin’s funeral service at Greater Grace Temple on August 31 lasted nearly eight hours and was streamed live online. Notable figures, including Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Stevie Wonder, Cicely Tyson, Jennifer Hudson, and former President Bill Clinton, gathered to pay their respects at the private event.
Aretha Franklin passed away on August 16 due to advanced pancreatic cancer at the age of 76..
