"I am honored to perform for such a great man. He was a family friend, and Dr. King believed in things that were right .
. . justice and equality for all.
" Franklin knows a thing or two about King and the civil-rights movement, which she joined at 16. "I was very young when I joined the movement, and I enjoyed what we were doing," she says. "I think Dr.
King's dream is still alive, and there has been a lot of progress because of him." Franklin is part of an all-star lineup for tonight's show, which also includes Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Carlos Santana and Queen Latifah. Over the years, $82 million has been raised for the King memorial, which will be built between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials.
Franklin, who has won 19 Grammy Awards, will get a chance to relive the good old days as she helps cast her planned TV miniseries "Aretha: From These Roots." "I have a verbal commitment from Terrence Howard to play Smokey Robinson," Franklin says. "Then, I was looking at a picture of my dad in my living room this summer and thought Billy Dee Williams could play him.
" A few days later, Franklin walked into a Manhattan hotel, and Williams was standing at the front desk. "I was like -- bam! -- there he is," jokes Franklin.
"He has the same physical makeup and he's attractive, just like my dad. I talked to him, and he said he'd like to do it." Franklin says she has a deal with a network and has her eye on an actress to play her, but wouldn't disclose the details.
Despite her secrecy, Franklin says viewers will get the "real deal" and the "right story" because it will come from her. Franklin says she is "sometimes amazed, always grounded and extremely appreciative" of her talent. "God is good," she says.
"I am thankful.
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