Aretha remembers Whitney at Radio City

New York: Aretha Franklin was thankful to be alive on Saturday night and thinking about lost friends, among them Whitney Houston.

Hours after she canceled an appearance at Houston’s funeral because of spasms in her legs, the "Queen of Soul" (the "undisputed" Queen, the capacity audience was reminded by the show’s announcer) was quick on her feet, feisty in voice and sentimental and sassy in spirit at Radio City Music Hall.

It was the latest stop on a "greatest hits" tour featuring old favorites and, since Houston’s shocking death a week ago, a tribute to her fallen goddaughter.

Franklin herself was rumoured a year ago to be mortally ill, hospitalised with an undisclosed illness and asking her fans worldwide to pray for her health.

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