As she prepared for her first-ever joint performance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Aretha Franklin possessed unwavering confidence in its potential to appeal to a wide audience.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press in November 1998, she expressed, "I have a discerning fan base who appreciates quality music, just like I do."

Those concerts in '98, held over the Thanksgiving weekend for three nights, marked a unique collaboration between the Queen of Soul and the esteemed Detroit Symphony Orchestra, bringing together two iconic musical institutions from Detroit.

Now, twenty-five years later, the DSO is paying tribute to Franklin once again. Among the highly anticipated events on the orchestra's 2023 schedule, assistant conductor Na'Zir McFadden will lead four concerts featuring Franklin's music, taking place from Friday to Sunday.

At the age of 22, McFadden guarantees a captivating musical journey that encompasses "25 of her greatest, most renowned, and timeless hits," presenting a sort of musical biography that traces Franklin's path "from her upbringing in the church, to her contributions to popular music, and finally back to the church."