FRANKLIN TAKES TO THE STAGE WITH RICE
ARETHA FRANKLIN put aside her political views to perform with U.S. Republ ican politician CONDOLEEZZA RICE for a charity concert on Tuesday (27Jul1 0).
The soul star, a staunch Democrat who sang at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, appeared on stage for a three-hour concert with classically trained pianist Rice - a Republican who served as an aide to President G eorge W. Bush.
The Respect hitmaker belted out her hits and a number of classical aria s, while the former U.S. secretary of state played piano accompaniment al ongside an orchestra at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvan ia.
Introducing her song I Say a Little Prayer, Franklin told the crowd of 8,000: "You didn’t think she could play it, right?" The concert was expected to raise $580,000 (=C2=A3387,000) for an arts program which helps underprivileged children, reports Reuters. (PAW/WNWR/
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