Mike Monford and The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre

In its 37 years, the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre in Detroit has hosted iconic artists such as Abbey Lincoln, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Maxwell, Kendrick Lamar, and the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. The venue was originally named the Chene Park Amphitheater, but when Aretha Franklin passed away in 2019, the city of Detroit renamed the stage in her honor.

Behind ‘The Aretha’s’ continued success is Shahida Mausi, owner of The Right Productions, which operates the 6,000-seat venue. Shahida herself is a native Detroiter and has produced pivotal historic and cultural events, with credits ranging from Nelson Mandela’s 1990 Tiger Stadium appearance to Kanye West’s Sunday Service in 2019.

Join today’s host, jazz saxophonist Mike Monford, as he chats with Shahida about The Aretha and what the venue means to the city of Detroit.

'Independent Venue Speak' is produced by Marauder in partnership with See Tickets. For more independent venue stories, please visit welcome.seetickets.us/

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