KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Aretha Franklin’s legendary sold out performances brought her around the nation, including here in Kansas City. At the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, employees shared their memories of her last public show in Kansas City with FOX4.
The venue sold out all 1,800 seats in less than a day, it’s a performance many people are still talking about, including employees who were there that night.
Her performance wrapped up the first season of the Kauffman Center. Employees say the 90-minute show included all of her classics, and a special tribute to her friend Whitney Houston, who died earlier that year.
FOX4 spoke with the director of theater operations who met the singer just before her performance, and shared this about her passing.
“Sadness… for the wider community as a whole. I would say even sadness for America as a whole. Her voice and style of music making, her influence… pretty monumental on a comparative scale. She is one of those that goes in the list of American greats,” Patrick Donnelly said.
He reached out to her team who arranged the Kansas City concert, they responded asking for prayers as they prepared for her funeral.
