Aretha Franklin returns to perform in concert at the State Theatre for its 19th Annual Benefit Gala, Saturday, May 19, at 6pm. In conjunction with the concert, the 2007 State Theatre Benefit Gala cocktail party and black tie dinner dance will take place at the brand new Heldrich Hotel and Conference Center, across the street from the State Theatre.
Ticket prices for the concert only range from $50 to $125. Patron tickets for the black tie gala are $650 and include the 5pm cocktail reception, 6pm concert, and black tie dinner dance immediately following.
The 2007 State Theatre Benefit Gala Honorees include corporate honoree PSE&G, New Jersey's largest electric and gas utility, and individual honorees Madiha and Omar Boraie of Milltown. Gala Chairs Ann. H. Asbaty, Senior Vice President, National Accounts, CIGNA HealthCare, and Efrem B. Dlugacz, Vice President, Worldwide Benefits, Johnson & Johnson.
Aretha Franklin: Born in Memphis and raised in Detroit, Franklin was only a teenager when she began her career by performing gospel music. She recorded in a variety of styles before being dubbed "Lady Soul,"Â and she always lent a unique stamp of diversity to her music. Her albums produced a string of non-stop hits in the '60s. Songs like "Think,"Â "Respect,"Â "You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman),"Â and "Chain of Fools"Â helped to shape soul music for generations.
In 1987, Franklin was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To this day, she maintains a balance between current musical styles-she has recently worked with P. Diddy, Jermaine Dupri, and Lauryn Hill-and her own sense of musical integrity.
Most recently, Franklin was awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "Generations...have stood in wonder at the style and voice of Aretha,"Â said President George W. Bush. The Queen of Soul continues to appeal to the young and old alike, and the State Theatre is privileged to have this American icon grace its stage. -- www.statetheatrenj.org
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