Faith Hill on Aretha Franklin: ‘The Choir of Angels Now Have the Greatest Voice’
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw opened many shows of their 2017-2018 Soul2Soul World Tour with “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” Aretha Franklin’s 1987 duet with George Michael off her Aretha album. Following Franklin’s death on Thursday at 76 after a bout with pancreatic cancer (Michael died Christmas Day 2016), Hill shared a remembrance of the soul singer on social media, along with a photo of herself with a regal-looking Franklin.
The choir of angels now have the greatest voice of all time to lead, praise and join in to sing before Jesus. I wanted to share this photo because it shows just how soulful Aretha was without uttering a word. To say I was humbled to be in her presence would be an understatement. pic.twitter.com/R2lxjXwDO8
— Faith Hill (@FaithHill) August 16, 2018
“The choir of angels now have the greatest voice of all time to lead, praise and join in to sing before Jesus,” Hill wrote. “I wanted to share this photo because it shows just how soulful Aretha was without uttering a word. To say I was humbled to be in her presence would be an understatement.”
“I Knew You Were Waiting” wasn’t the first time that Hill had covered Franklin, however. During her 2012-2013 residency with McGraw at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Hill would often perform Franklin’s “Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business).”
Franklin’s death has resonated throughout the country music world, with artists like Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Wynonna, Shelby Lynne and Rosanne Cash all tweeting remembrances. Although best known for her soul and R&B performances, Franklin was no stranger to country and folk music, putting her distinctive spin on songs by Willie Nelson and Hank Williams throughout her career.