The late Angie Stone drew a star-studded crowd as music royalty, including Tyler Perry, Kirk Franklin, Musiq Soulchild, Anthony Hamilton and Keke Wyatt, gathered at Word of Faith Cathedral in Austell, Georgia, on Friday (March 14) to honor the late soul legend at her public memorial service.
The emotional tribute saw the cathedral filled to maximum capacity as mourners celebrated the soul singer’s extraordinary musical legacy.
Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, Wyatt and Musiq Soulchild each spoke movingly about Stone’s profound impact on music, praising her relentless creativity and heartfelt passion.
“Thank you for allowing us to do this, to put her to rest in the fashion of the queen that she was. To the family, I want you to know something, esepcially her children. My mother died at 64. Angie was a year younger than my mother when she passed. In her song, she said ‘time gets a little better.’ So my prayer for you is that time is kind to you,” Tyler Perry said.
The celebration of Stone’s life came less than a week after the tragic accident that claimed her life.
Angie Stone, 63, was killed on March 1 when the Sprinter van she was traveling in overturned along Interstate 65, approximately five miles south of Montgomery, Alabama.
According to authorities, the van was subsequently struck by an oncoming tractor-trailer.
While emergency responders arrived quickly, Angie Stone was pronounced dead at the scene. Everyone else traveling with her survived the collision.
Just hours before the tragedy, Stone had performed in Mobile, Alabama. A statement from Stone’s family emphasized her lasting influence.
“Angie was an example for black women and girls everywhere…Diamond and Michael along with the rest of Angie’s family want to thank you for reaching out, but also asked that you respect their privacy as they grieve the loss of their beloved mother.”
Another intimate ceremony for close family members and friends was scheduled for today (March 15) at First Nazareth Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, followed by a second celebration of Stone’s remarkable life at the same location.