Aretha, Rick Warren on Tap for Inauguration Day

John Williams will compose new music for Obama's landmark occasion
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 17, 2008 3:47 PM CST
Aretha, Rick Warren on Tap for Inauguration Day
President-elect Barack Obama speaks during a news conference in Chicago today.   (AP Photo)

Aretha Franklin will participate in Barack Obama’s inauguration next month, the New York Times reports, with the Queen of Soul hitting the stage after evangelical leader Rick Warren gives the invocation. Obama has also commissioned composer John Williams to write a new piece of music for the ceremony—to be performed by a star-studded quartet featuring Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. (More Aretha Franklin stories.)