NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Family members celebrate birthday of late Queen of Soul

DETROIT

Family members celebrated Aretha Franklin on what would have been the Queen of Soul’s 77th birthday Monday with a memorial service and a screening of a documentary film.

The service took place inside a chapel at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. Franklin died last year after battling pancreatic cancer and was laid to rest inside a crypt not far from Woodlawn’s chapel.

“Our family thought it might be a good idea for us to start today the right way, in prayer,” Franklin’s niece Sabrina Owens said. “And ask for God’s blessing on today as we go through these very exciting events of the day.”

Alanis Morissette announces pregnancy in Instagram photo

Alanis Morissette is pregnant with her third child.

The Grammy-winning singer posted a black-and-white photo of herself Monday to her Instagram account, revealing her round belly while also singing with headphones covering her ears.

Morissette captioned the photo with, “so much NEWness.” Her representative confirmed the pregnancy to The Associated Press.

The 44-year-old Canadian singer has two kids: her son, Ever Imre, is 8 and her daughter, Onyx Solace, turns 3 in June.

Her hits include “Ironic,” “You Oughta Know,” “Thank U” and “Hands Clean.”

Associated Press