Aretha Franklin and Condoleezza Rice’s Musical Collaboration

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin took the stage at Philadelphia’s Mann Music Center, surprising the audience with a collaboration with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The two put politics aside for a benefit concert to raise money for music education for underprivileged youth. Though Franklin is a staunch Democrat, she asked the conservative Rice to help her for the common good. "It is a joint effort for the inner-city youth of Philadelphia and Detroit," Franklin told the Associated Press. Rice, who is a classically trained pianist, accompanied the Queen of Soul, but did not join in on the vocals. "You do not want to hear me sing!" she said, according to the AP. "I'm a good choir musician, but I think I will stick to playing the piano.” The event drew a crowd of 8,000 and raised $580,000 to help low-income children learn music and attend concerts.