Aretha Franklin to sing at Obama inauguration

Yo-Yo Ma will play cello, accompanied by violinist Itzhak Perlman

Mary Altaffer / AP

Aretha Franklin will sing at President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

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Dec. 17: Some of key players performing in the Obama inauguration next month will include Aretha Franklin, Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

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updated 3:34 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2008

WASHINGTON - Aretha Franklin will sing, Pastor Rick Warren will pray and Yo-Yo Ma will play the cello during President-elect Barack Obama’s Inauguration.

Congressional leaders on Wednesday announced the program, which also will feature poet Elizabeth Alexander; the Rev. Joseph Lowery, a veteran civil rights leader; and the U.S. Marine and Navy bands. The Jan. 20 event on the steps of the Capitol is expected to draw as many as four million visitors to see Obama take the noontime oath from Chief Justice John Roberts.

Violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill will join Ma for a new work composed by John Williams.

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Vice President-elect Joe Biden will take his oath from Justice John Paul Stevens.

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