Ethel Kennedy dead at 96
Widow of the late Robert F. Kennedy and mother of 11 children Ethel Kennedy passed away on Thursday after suffering a stroke.
Along with three presidents, Ethel Kennedy’s funeral on Wednesday featured three musical superstars: Sting, Kenny Chesney and Stevie Wonder.
Following a eulogy by former President Clinton, Sting, guitar in hand, made a surprise appearance at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, DC, performing his emotional 1987 hit “Fragile.”
“We have a surprise that’s not on the program, but we are incredibly grateful and honored to have a singer who my grandmother loved,” Ethel Kennedy’s grandson, Joe Kennedy III, told the funeral attendees.
“Sounds just like that at our family singalongs, right?” he joked after Sting finished.
STING REIMAGINES ‘JEOPARDY!’ THEME SONG
Sting performing his hit “Fragile” at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
President Biden, who spoke at the end of the service, became visibly emotional while listening to the song, later saying that Kennedy reminded him of his own mother.
Before Sting, country star Kenny Chesney spoke about his friendship with Ethel and her daughter Rory Kennedy and sang “You are My Sunshine.”
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“The moment I walked into Ethel’s home she and I shared a soulful bond and I have so much gratitude for that friendship,” Chesney said before he began singing. “Every time I was around your mother she made me feel great because she felt like sunshine.”
Kenny Chesney singing “You are My Sunshine.” (Reuters/Leah Millis)
Joe Kennedy later told the audience he was “honored to announce one final surprise” before Biden’s eulogy, describing Stevie Wonder as a “dear friend of my grandfather and grandmother.”
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Wonder said he decided to go back on tour because of Ethel Kennedy, adding that he was there to “grieve with you and share my love with you.”
Stevie Wonder singing “Isn’t She Lovely” at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
He first sang “The Lord’s Prayer” before going into a special rendition of “Isn’t She Lovely” to uproarious applause in which he inserted Ethel’s name into the song and called for the audience to sing along while bringing out his harmonica.
During his eulogy, Biden joked that Wonder told him if he receives another Grammy, he planned to give it to the president.
Presidents Biden, Obama and Clinton appeared emotional while listening to Sting perform “Fragile” at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral on Wednesday. (Reuters/Leah Millis)
“The only guy in this whole darned church who can’t sing a note,” he laughed at himself.
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Ethel Kennedy, who was the widow of former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, died at 96 years old last Thursday. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in June 1968 while he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination.
