It was a packed night for Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin last night.
For her 72nd birthday– the actual day– Aretha and a group of seven friends had an early supper in the Pool Room of the legendary Four Seasons restaurant on Park Avenue. The restaurant made a special raspberry birthday cake with ribbons for the occasion.
Then the gang headed over to Broadway for a performance of “After Midnight” starring Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Toni Braxton. Babyface is helping produce Aretha’s new album, along with Andre 3000, for Clive Davis. The album, which will cover the signature songs of other divas, starts recording next month in Detroit.
Backstage, Babyface told me: “I’m so honored she came to see us.” Aretha loved the show. And no one could tell that Babyface and Toni Braxton had only five days of rehearsal of the complicated songs and dance numbers. They looked like they’d been in the show from the start!
PS Franklin makes up two winter dates at Radio City Music Hall on June 14th and 15th!
